Moataz Gamal says Zamalek’s substitutes made the difference in National Bank of Egypt win

Zamalek head coach Moataz Gamal said his side benefited from good fortune with their substitutions as they secured a 3-0 victory over National Bank of Egypt in the Egyptian Premier League.

The match at Cairo International Stadium was decided by three second-half goals, all scored by players who had started the game on the bench. Chico Banza, Hossam Ashraf and Ahmed Abdelrahim “Isho” found the net to give Zamalek their first win of the campaign.

The result moved Zamalek up to second place temporarily with four points from their opening two matches, following a draw and a victory. National Bank of Egypt remain without a point after two games and sit at the bottom of the table.

Gamal admitted his team had not produced their best football before the interval, despite making a positive start in their previous match.

“We started the previous match well and missed many chances, while in today’s match our performance in the first half was not at the required level,” he said at his post-match news conference.

“We made some adjustments in the second half, appeared better and produced 45 good minutes. We hope our performance will improve in the coming matches over both halves.”

The Zamalek manager said the changes made during the match had a major influence on the result. Ahmed Fotouh was removed at half-time after being booked during the opening period, while fatigue also led to further substitutions.

“We were fortunate with the substitutions we made in the match,” Gamal said. “I replaced Ahmed Fotouh at half-time because he received a yellow card in the first half, in addition to replacing some players because of fatigue.”

He also stressed that regular competitive football would help the squad regain full match sharpness after their extended break.

“Matches help the players regain their form, and we are working to correct the mistakes and negative aspects that appear in the games,” he said. “This is very normal, and luck was on Zamalek’s side in today’s match.”

Gamal added that some players could understandably struggle for consistency after a long period without competitive action, but insisted he remained confident in the group and their ability to challenge for the title.

“It is very possible that some players may not be successful after a long rest,” he said. “I trust the team’s players and I am betting on their ability to win the league title.”

Chico Banza, who came off the bench to score, is being introduced gradually, according to Gamal. The coach said the forward would be given more playing time in the next few fixtures because he is considered an important member of the squad.

“Chico Banza is taking part in matches gradually, and he will get more time in the coming games, especially because he is one of the key players in the team,” Gamal said.

Zamalek’s next fixture is against Petrojet on Monday in the third round of the league. National Bank of Egypt will also play on Monday, when they continue their search for their first point of the season against Asyut Petroleum.