Zamalek end three-year CAF Champions League scoring drought through Mohamed Shehata

Zamalek scored in the CAF Champions League for the first time in three years when Mohamed Shehata put them ahead against Djibouti’s AS Port in the first leg of the preliminary round.

Shehata struck in the sixth minute, finishing with a powerful effort from inside the six-yard box after Chico Banza delivered the cross. The goal gave Zamalek an early advantage in their return to the competition.

It was the club’s first goal in the CAF Champions League since 31 March 2023, when they faced Sudanese side Al-Merrikh.

Nasser Mansi scored Zamalek’s previous goal in the tournament during that match, which the Egyptian club won 4-3. Mansi scored a hat-trick on that occasion, but Zamalek did not find the net again in the competition after that game.

The goal against AS Port therefore marked an important moment for Zamalek as they began their latest Champions League campaign. Shehata’s finish ended a lengthy wait for a goal in the competition and came at the start of the first leg against the Djibouti side.

Zamalek had been absent from the CAF Champions League since their match against Al-Merrikh in March 2023. Their return was secured after they won the Egyptian league title last season, earning the right to compete in Africa’s leading club competition once again.

Shehata’s goal came from one of the opening opportunities of the match. Banza’s delivery found the Zamalek midfielder in a dangerous position, and he responded with a fierce shot from close range to beat the AS Port defence.

The strike also made Shehata the player responsible for restoring Zamalek’s scoring record in the tournament. Before his effort, the club’s most recent Champions League goal had remained Mansi’s finish against Al-Merrikh more than three years earlier.

Zamalek’s meeting with AS Port is being played over two legs in the preliminary round. The Egyptian side entered the tie after returning to the CAF Champions League as domestic champions, while their opponents provided the first challenge of their latest continental campaign.

For Zamalek, the early goal offered a positive start to a competition they had not featured in since 2023. It also ended the unusual run in which the club had gone without scoring in the Champions League since that 4-3 victory over Al-Merrikh, a game remembered for Mansi’s three goals.

The match against AS Port represents the beginning of Zamalek’s attempt to make their presence felt in the tournament again. Shehata’s sixth-minute finish ensured that their return was marked by a goal almost immediately.