Tala’ea El Gaish showed grit and discipline as they held Ismaily SC to a goalless draw in the first leg of the Capital Cup quarter-finals at the Ismailia Stadium on Wednesday.
Although the visitors controlled most of the ball, they couldn’t break down Ismaily’s defense or create real danger in front of goal. Tala’ea El Gaish’s rhythm took a hit after midfielder Farid Shawky was forced off with an injury in the first half.
Ismaily, searching for an edge, made several second-half substitutions in a bid to snatch a winner but lacked the final touch to trouble the scoreboard.
The draw keeps the tie wide open ahead of the second leg, which is set for 20 May at the Military Sports Authority Stadium in Cairo.
In another quarter-final fixture, Enppi took a step closer to the semi-finals with a solid 2-0 victory over Border Guard in their opening leg on Tuesday.
Both Tala’ea El Gaish and Ismaily now face a decisive showdown in the capital, with everything still to play for.
