Match Preview: Zamalek vs Tusker FC, Team News, Predicted Lineups & TV Coverage Caf Champions League second leg
Tusker will come up against Zamalek SC in the second leg of their Caf Champions League first-round fixture at Borg El Arab Stadium on Friday.
The Brewers will be aiming at overturning the first-leg defeat suffered in Nairobi after they went down 1-0 courtesy of a 47th-minute goal from Achraf Bencharki at Nyayo Stadium.
Team News- Zamalek
Goalkeepers: Mohamed Abou Gabal, and Mohamed Awaad.
Defenders: Mahmoud Alaa, Mohammed Elwenesh, Hazem Emam, Abdallah Goma, Ahmed Fatoo, Ahmed Zaky, Hamza Mathlouthi, Mohammed Abdelshafy, and Habd Elmeged.
Midfielders: Tarek Hamed, Emam Ashour, Mohammed Abdelaziz, Mohamed Rouqa, Hamdy Alaa, Eslam Gaber, Youssef Obama and Ahmed Sayed, Mohammed Shikabala, Hamid Ahadad, Mahmoud Abdelrazek Fadlallah and Achraf Bencharki.
Forwards: Seif Jaziri, Razzaq Sisih, Saif Gaagar, Marwan Hamdi and Abdullah Nimar.
Zamalek coach Patrice Carteron will most likely stick with the same team that did duty in the first meeting as they strive to advance to the next stage.
However, Carteron believes they still have a tough game back home despite carrying the slim advantage.
“It was a difficult game and we knew facing Tusker was never going to be easy, especially when a lot of their players are playing for the national team. We also did not have time to prepare for this game, so really I am happy how we faced this team,” Carteron told Goal.
“We did create many chances and we could have scored two easy goals and we also know it is going to be a tough match next week and we have to prepare ourselves well to finish the job.”
Team News- Tusker FC
Goalkeepers: Patrick Matasi, Emery Mvuyekure and Brian Bwire
Defenders: Eugine Asike, Kalos Kirenge, Jimmy Mbugua, Kevin Monyi, Daniel Sakari, Hillary Wandera, and Charles Momanyi
Midfielders: Humphrey Mieno, Jackson Macharia, Boniface Muchiri, Apollo Otieno, Clyde Senaji, and Teddy Osok
Forwards: Joshua Ibrahim and John Ngujuna
Tusker midfielder Boniface Muchiri believes the team will get a positive result if they work hard in Cairo.
“We are happy to be here in Egypt and highly motivated, with an aim of giving our best on Friday to get a positive result,” Macharia told Goal from Alexandria.
“Everybody is happy and encouraged by the many positive things we have seen in camp. Hopefully, we will maintain the same morale that we have been having ahead of the game.
“Last weekend was my first time playing against Zamalek; it was a tough game, but again playing well and losing the game [is disappointing]. We better play badly but win. It does not add up for people to say we played well in the first leg but lost the game.”
Match News
This will be the fourth time Zamalek and Tusker are facing off in the Caf competition, the first being in 2005 when White Knights emerged winners.
Zamalek won the first meeting played in Nairobi 1-0 and they returned to Cairo to complete the job after a 3-1 win and thus advanced to the group stage with a 4-1 aggregate win.
The third meeting was last weekend when Zamalek braved a tough Tusker, who were the better side in the first half, to score courtesy of Bencharki and claim a slim advantage heading into the second meeting in Alexandria.
The Brewers reached the first round of the competition after beating AS Arta Solar 7 of Djibouti 4-1 on aggregate in the preliminary round, while Zamalek were handed a bye to the stage.
Zamalek Probable XI: Gabal, Emam, Ghani, Alaa, Fattoh, Ashour, Abdel Aziz, Obama, Ahadad, Gaber, Hamdi
Tusker FC Probable XI: Mvuyekure, Asike, Kirenge, Sakari, Wandera, Mieno, Macharia, Senaji, Osok, Ibrahim, Muchiri
TV Coverage
The Zamalek-Tusker FC second leg game will be live on National television in Kenya and live on ONTime Sports in Egypt.
The game will not be live outside these two countries. However, fans can search YouTube during match time to enhance access to the live game.
