Zamalek captain Omar Gaber blames lack of readiness for opening-day draw

Zamalek captain Omar Gaber said his side’s lack of preparation became clear in the second half as they began their Egyptian Premier League title defence with a goalless draw against Al Ittihad Alexandria.

Zamalek created several chances before the interval but were unable to find a way past their opponents, and their performance dropped after the break. Gaber believes the team’s delayed preparations for the new season contributed to the result.

“The first half was good and we missed many chances, but in the second half the lack of readiness was very clear,” Gaber told ON Sport.

The draw denied Zamalek the winning start they wanted as they began their campaign to retain the Egyptian Premier League title. Gaber said the team should have taken control of the match before half-time and secured the points.

“It was necessary for us to win so that we could start the season well, and we could have decided the match in the first half by scoring one or two goals, but it was not meant to be,” he added.

Zamalek started their preparations for the new season late under Motamed Gamal, a factor that appeared to affect their fitness and sharpness during the opening fixture.

They were also without Brazilian player Juan Bezerra, who has not taken part in the team’s training sessions since the end of last season because of his desire to leave the club.

The result marked the first goalless draw between Zamalek and Al Ittihad Alexandria since 2023. It also extended Hamza El Gammal’s unbeaten run in his last four matches against Zamalek. During that sequence, his teams have recorded two wins and two draws.

Gaber said the squad had already turned its attention away from the disappointing opening result and would focus on correcting the problems exposed by the match.

“We have closed the page on today’s match, and we will work to address the negatives and rectify the mistakes in the coming matches. We will try to settle matches early,” he said.

Zamalek will face National Bank of Egypt in the second round. National Bank of Egypt lost at the same time to Abu Qir Semad in their opening match.

Al Ittihad Alexandria will also be looking for their first win of the campaign when they host Ceramica Cleopatra at Alexandria Stadium in the next round.

Gaber ended by thanking the club’s supporters for their backing and promising that the players would improve during the weeks ahead.

“We thank Zamalek’s fans for their support, and we promise them that we will give our best during the coming period,” he said.