Al-Ahram Weekly | Sports

		20 - 26 June 2002 Issue No. 591 Sports	Current issue Previous issue Site map
Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875		Recommend this page

Some solace
Zamalek brought some cheer to their fans after winning the FA cup. Abeer Anwar reports on a gift which lifted low spirits

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Zamalek's players are all smiles after the game while their supporters went out to celebrate the much needed victory
Compensating somewhat for their dismal third-place finish in the league, Zamalek captured the FA Cup on Sunday, beating Baladiyet Al-Mehalla 1-0. The win helped blot out memories of a bitter league campaign that saw the defending champions slip badly down a home stretch in which they were pummeled by cross-town rivals Ahli and eventual winners Ismaili.
But cheered on by 50,000 supporters at Cairo Stadium, Zamalek turned a new page, winning the cup for the 19th time, one less than Ahli's record of 20.
The winning goal was scored in the 59th minute by substitute Abdel-Halim Ali who unleashed a thunderbolt from inside the penalty area. Veteran striker Hossam Hassan stole the ball from midfielder Ahmed Nakhla, fed to Ali who rounded Nakhla before firing past goalkeeper Ashraf Abdel-Rasheed. The shot rebounded fiercely from the crossbar past the goal line.
It was Zamalek's game from the beginning against Mehalla which was playing in its first cup final. Mehalla, which finished 11th in the league table, was content to marshal a defensive wall in the hopes of taking the game to penalties where it would then be anybody's game.
Despite constant pressure, Zamalek were unable to break through in the first half, though Hassan, Hazem Emam and Ahmed Felix came close.
After the break, Zamalek worked even harder and were rewarded by Ali's effort. Nakhla tried to make amends but was stopped on two occasions by the defence.
Amid cheers from relieved supporters, team captain Khaled El-Ghandour lifted the trophy which was presented to him by Maj Gen Osama Kamel on behalf of President Mubarak .
"I was so happy that the team was able to regain its confidence following the problems it went through," Zamalek's head coach, German Otto Pfister, said following the match. "We couldn't afford losing another title. I was glad that we did not leave empty-handed this season. I guess the team's supporters wouldn't have forgiven us this time."
Added Pfister: "The team played good against a stubborn defence. Cup matches are usually tough since they are based on a knock-out system. We have seen the World Cup and how big teams were defeated. Everything can happen in football."
During his two-year stint as Zamalek's coach, Pfister led the team to the league championship, the African Cup Winners Cup, the Egyptian Super Cup and now the cup. Such achievements in such a short time span would normally please any club management but several press reports indicate Pfister's job is on the line because of having failed to successfully defend the league crown.
Pfister had little to say about his future. "I haven't made up my mind. In two days, I'll meet with the president of the club. Accordingly, I'll give my final decision. I have received some offers from abroad and might study them and compare."
Abdel-Aziz Abdel-Shafei, Mehalla's head coach, blamed the loss on luck and Nakhla. "Had he scored from the chances he had, we might have won. But he missed and we lost.
"The team was great and made a big effort and was not an easy prey for Zamalek but we were not lucky enough." Abdel-Shafei added he was satisfied with the result and "happy that we made it to the final of the cup for the first time in the team's history".

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