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Zamalek coach José Gomes reflects on a hard-fought victory over Kenya Police securing their spot in the 2024/2025 CAF Confederation Cup group stages.
Zamalek head coach Jose Gomes expressed his satisfaction after his team's hard-fought 2-1 victory over Kenya Police FC in the second leg of the CAF Confederation Cup round of 32.
The result, coupled with a 1-0 win in the first leg in Nairobi, secured Zamalek’s spot in the group stage of the competition.
The Cairo giants took control of the match in the second half, with goals from Ahmed “Zizo” Sayed and Nasser Maher propelling them to a 2-0 lead before Jesse Were netted a late consolation for the Kenyan side.
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21:56 - 20.09.2024
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The FKF Cup champions Kenya Police were outclassed by Zamalek struggling in possession and missing key scoring chances.
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Gomes acknowledged the difficulties his team faced, particularly in the first half.
"We wasted two chances in the first half, and the players were nervous," Gomes said as per Alabtal Sport.
"But the performance was better in the second half, and we deserved to win and qualify for the group stage."
Gomes highlighted the challenges the team encountered during the first leg in Nairobi noting the impact of the altitude on his players' performance.
"The first leg was especially difficult due to the altitude in Nairobi," he explained.
"The lack of oxygen affected some of the players, and they faced significant challenges adjusting to the conditions."
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Despite the hurdles, Gomes was impressed with his team’s overall progress, praising their resilience and improvement as the tournament progresses.
"The team's performance is gradually improving, and I have confidence in their ability to achieve positive results moving forward," he said.
"We played the second leg better than the first, and we are learning from each match."
The Portuguese coach also addressed the injuries sustained by some of his players during the physical encounter, reassuring fans that there were no major concerns.
"All the injuries were just bruises, the result of the Kenyan team's aggressive style of play. Thankfully, there were no muscle injuries," he stated.
Gomes took the opportunity to look ahead to the upcoming African Super Cup match against Zamalek's fierce rivals, Al-Ahly.
With the high-stakes encounter just around the corner, Gomes expressed his optimism about his squad's chances.
"I have full confidence in my players," he said.
"We will do everything we can to secure a positive result in the African Super Cup against Al-Ahly."
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Despite admitting that the team has some issues to work through, Gomes insisted that the problems are not concentrated in the midfield.
"We do have some problems in the squad, but they are not in the middle of the field," he clarified.
"We are working hard to resolve these issues before the Super Cup, and I believe the team is on the right path."
"We are improving with every match, and I am confident in the abilities of this squad," he noted.
"The African Super Cup is a major target, and we will be fully prepared to compete."
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