By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
DailynewsegyptDailynewsegypt
  • Home
  • Business
    BusinessShow More
    Popular video-sharing app TikTok was granted by the U.S. government a 15-day extension to reach a deal with U.S. buyers, a federal court filing showed Friday. This means the deadline for ByteDance, TikTok's Chinese parent company, to reach a deal with Oracle and Walmart has been extended from Nov. 12 to Nov. 27, according to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
    TikTok updates its community guidelines
    March 23, 2023
    IFC to invest in Mediterrania Capital Partners’ fund to support African mid-cap businesses
    IFC to invest in Mediterrania Capital Partners’ fund to support African mid-cap businesses
    March 23, 2023
    Sukari gold mine’s production reaches 5.2 million ounces with $7.5bn revenues in February 2023
    Sukari gold mine’s production reaches 5.2 million ounces with $7.5bn revenues in February 2023
    March 23, 2023
    EFG Hermes records EGP 11bn revenue in FY22
    EFG Hermes records EGP 11bn revenue in FY22
    March 23, 2023
    Egyptian Environment Minister discusses cooperation with WFP representative in Cairo 
    Egyptian Environment Minister discusses cooperation with WFP representative in Cairo 
    March 23, 2023
  • Politics
    PoliticsShow More
    Egypt's Health Minister discuss bilateral cooperation with an Italian delegation 
    Egypt’s Health Minister discuss bilateral cooperation with an Italian delegation 
    March 23, 2023
    Egypt’s foreign minister phones Algerian counterpart over boosting ties
    Egypt’s foreign minister phones Algerian counterpart over boosting ties
    March 22, 2023
    Turkish President  Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Egypt President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi met in Doha
    Opinion| Türkiye and Egypt: For better times with many opportunities
    March 22, 2023
    Drought caused 43,000 deaths in Somalia in 2022: UN
    Drought caused 43,000 deaths in Somalia in 2022: UN 
    March 22, 2023
    Opinion| The Chinese dragon occupies America's place in the Middle East
    Opinion| The Chinese dragon occupies America’s place in the Middle East
    March 22, 2023
  • Interviews
    InterviewsShow More
    Government should help Egyptian arts revive its pioneering role: Omar Abdel Aziz
    Government should help Egyptian arts revive its pioneering role: Omar Abdel Aziz
    March 15, 2023
    Interconnected healthcare systems in Africa require political will from North African leaders: Amref official
    Interconnected healthcare systems in Africa require political will from North African leaders: Amref official
    March 12, 2023
    EGX ready for government’s IPOs programme: Chairperson
    EGX ready for government’s IPOs programme: Chairperson
    February 15, 2023
    British International Investment invests $4.5bn in 700 businesses across Africa: Sherine Shohdy
    February 15, 2023
    Valeo has invested around €0.5bn in Egypt over the past 10 years: CEO
    Valeo has invested around €0.5bn in Egypt over the past 10 years: CEO
    December 27, 2022
  • Culture
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle
Reading: Egyptian giants, Al Ahly and Zamalek, to face off in ‘Final of the Century’
Share
Notification
Latest News
Popular video-sharing app TikTok was granted by the U.S. government a 15-day extension to reach a deal with U.S. buyers, a federal court filing showed Friday. This means the deadline for ByteDance, TikTok's Chinese parent company, to reach a deal with Oracle and Walmart has been extended from Nov. 12 to Nov. 27, according to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
TikTok updates its community guidelines
Business
Strong representation of women in TV series of Ramadan 2023
Strong representation of women in TV series of Ramadan 2023
Culture Cinema
IFC to invest in Mediterrania Capital Partners’ fund to support African mid-cap businesses
IFC to invest in Mediterrania Capital Partners’ fund to support African mid-cap businesses
Business
Sukari gold mine’s production reaches 5.2 million ounces with $7.5bn revenues in February 2023
Sukari gold mine’s production reaches 5.2 million ounces with $7.5bn revenues in February 2023
Business
EFG Hermes records EGP 11bn revenue in FY22
EFG Hermes records EGP 11bn revenue in FY22
Business
Aa
Aa
DailynewsegyptDailynewsegypt
  • Home
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Interviews
  • Culture
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle
  • Home
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Interviews
  • Culture
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
  • Advertise
© 2023 DNE News. All Rights Reserved.
Dailynewsegypt > Blog > Sports > Egyptian giants, Al Ahly and Zamalek, to face off in ‘Final of the Century’
Sports

Egyptian giants, Al Ahly and Zamalek, to face off in ‘Final of the Century’

Alaa Ali
Last updated: 2020/11/26 at 6:52 PM
By Alaa Ali 8 Min Read
Share
SHARE

Only a few hours separate us from a final of a special kind, a historic match between Egypt’s biggest teams and arch rivals, Al Ahly and Zamalek. The match, which will be held at 21:00 on Friday at the Cairo International Stadium, is the CAF Champions League final.

It is a historic final match in all its meaning. The famous local deby between Al Ahly and Zamalek will take place for the first time in the decider of the most important continental tournament that the two sides have for years been searching for. But to whom will the African title go?

Fans of both teams have long dreamed of the title, yet each time Al Ahly and Zamalek have failed to gain the championship crown. Now, however, the two teams are so close to that precious title, having reached the final. It will only increase the tension and rivalry in the face-to-face battle.

Zamalek, the team that have been crowned with the most continental championships in the last century, last won the championship title in 2002. On that occasion, the team defeated Moroccan team Raja Casablanca, to win its fifth Champions League title.

Since then, White Knights fans have been waiting to gain their sixth such title. The closest the team got to this was in 2016, when it lost in the final to South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns.

On the other hand, Al Ahly, which have been named the African Club of the Century, last won the championship in 2013 at the expense of another South African team, Orlando Pirates, making this the team’s eighth African Champions League title.

Al Ahly have reached the final twice since then, but lost on both occasions, once to Morocco’s Wydad in 2017, and again to Tunisia’s Esperance in the 2018 final.

Historic match

The Al Ahly-Zamalek final is historic as it is the first such final in the history of the CAF Champions League between two teams from the same country. The two teams have previously met in eight matches in the CAF Champions League throughout their history, with two semi-finals matches in the 2005 championship, and two quarter-finals matches in the 2008 version.

The two Egyptian teams also met two more times in the quarter-finals of the 2012 version, playing yet two more games against each other in the 2013 version. In the eight matches played, Al Ahly claimed victory in five matches, with the two teams earning a draw three times. Zamalek, however, never defeated Al Ahly in the championship. Al Ahly have scored 15 goals against Zamalek’s eight goals scored in those confrontations.

Morocco’s Radwan Jayed designated final match’s referee

The Referees Committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has decided to assign Morocco’s Radwan Jayed as referee for the final match.

The referee has previously officiated at several matches for the two Egyptian teams in the Champions League.

His first match with Al Ahly was in 2010 in the second leg of the championships’ 32nd round against Zimbabwe’s Harare City, which ended with a 2-0 victory for Al Ahly. The second game came in 2017, when Al Ahly met with the South African team Bidvest in the first leg of the 32nd round, which Al Ahly won.

In the third occasion, he was assigned as referee for a match between Al Ahly and Uganda’s Kampala Capital City Authority FC (KCCA) in 2018, at the conclusion of the group stage. Al Ahly took a 4-3 win against the Ugandan team, and qualified for the knock-out stages.

The Moroccan referee’s last match with Al Ahly was in the group stage in which the Egyptian team played against the Sudanese Al-Hilal, which was held in Khartoum. Although the match ended in a draw, it did not go unnoticed, due to the violence and riots perpetrated during the match by Al-Hilal fans. The incidents saw the match halted more than once.

Moving to Zamalek, Jayed only refereed one match for the White Knights, which took place against Tunisia’s Esperance. The North African clash occurred in the current version of the tournament, in the first leg of the quarter-finals, and ended with the Egyptian side claiming a 3-1 victory.

Among other Egyptian teams, Jayed officiated at the match between Ismaili and the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Mazembe in 2019, which ended in a 2-0 defeat for the Egyptian team. Jayed also managed a match between Alexandria’s Smouha and Sudan’s Al-Hilal in the group stage in 2015.

Jayed has been a referee in several domestic Egyptian tournaments, taking part in a match in the Egyptian League between Pyramids and Enppi, which ended in a 1-1 draw.

COVID-19 puts dampers on Al Ahly, Zamalek ahead final

Al Ahly and Zamalek fans are in a state of anxiety, just hours before the CAF Champions League final, due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Some players on both sides have reportedly tested positive for the virus, affecting the teams’ respective training camps before the confrontation.

Al Ahly announced that Walid Soliman, Mahmoud Abdel Moneim Kahraba, and Saleh Gomaa all tested positive for COVID-19, in addition to Mohamed Sherif.

Zamalek also announced that midfielder Mohamed Hassan, as well as international defender Mahmoud Hamdy Al-Wensh, and coaches Medhat Abdel Hadi and Hazem Emam have all tested positive.

The two arch-rivals fear the emergence of new cases in the immediate run-up to the match, as tests were conducted on Wednesday. Results of those tests are expected on Thursday, and may affect the final line-up of players in the match itself.

Egyptian football fans fear that the cases will extend to other players, which will affect the important and fateful match. This is particularly as it is the first match in Egyptian football history in which the arch-rivals will face one another in the Champions League final.

Shennawy vs. Abo Gabal: Two giants between the sticks

Egyptian and African football fans are excitedly awaiting the final of the Championship League. The goalkeepers for Al Ahly and Zamalek are considered two of the most influential players in the two clubs’ ranks, especially since they represent the last line in defence.

Al Ahly goalkeeper Mohamed El Shennawy has had one of his best seasons with the club, especially after he broke Sherif Ekramy’s local record and ended the season on 23 clean sheets.

On the other hand, Zamalek’s Mohamed Abo Gabal was able to prove his immense skills in the starting line-up for the White Knights, at the expense of his older colleagues Mahmoud Abdel-Rahim Gensh and Mohamed Awaad.

You Might Also Like

Qatari bid for Manchester United confirmed

FIFA reports record-breaking revenue of $7.6bn

MENA Tour players blown away by the beauty of Madinaty Golf Club, New Cairo, Egypt

Two Arab golfers made a statement this week at the Asian Tour’s flagship event

Egypt’s team secures 2022 WSF Women’s World Team Squash Championship for fifth time in its history

TAGGED: Al Ahly, egyptian, zamalek
Share this Article
Facebook Twitter Email Print
Previous Article Russian Zircon or Tsirkon hypersonic cruise missile Russia test-launches Tsirkon hypersonic missile
Next Article Government aims to enhance social protection programmes through development funds
Ad image

Stay Connected

Facebook Like
Twitter Follow
Instagram Follow
Youtube Subscribe

Latest News

Popular video-sharing app TikTok was granted by the U.S. government a 15-day extension to reach a deal with U.S. buyers, a federal court filing showed Friday. This means the deadline for ByteDance, TikTok's Chinese parent company, to reach a deal with Oracle and Walmart has been extended from Nov. 12 to Nov. 27, according to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
TikTok updates its community guidelines
Business
Strong representation of women in TV series of Ramadan 2023
Strong representation of women in TV series of Ramadan 2023
Culture Cinema
IFC to invest in Mediterrania Capital Partners’ fund to support African mid-cap businesses
IFC to invest in Mediterrania Capital Partners’ fund to support African mid-cap businesses
Business
Sukari gold mine’s production reaches 5.2 million ounces with $7.5bn revenues in February 2023
Sukari gold mine’s production reaches 5.2 million ounces with $7.5bn revenues in February 2023
Business
//
Egypt’s only independent daily newspaper in English. Discuss the country’s latest with the paper’s reporters, editors, and other readers.

Quick Link

  • Home
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Interviews
  • Culture
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!

© 2023 DNE News. All Rights Reserved.

Join Us!

Subscribe to our newsletter and never miss our latest news, podcasts etc..

Zero spam, Unsubscribe at any time.

Removed from reading list

Undo
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?