CAF Cup: José Peseiro disappointed by Zamalek's elimination

Zamalek's coach, José Peseiro, expressed his disappointment after his team's elimination in the quarter-finals of the CAF Confederation Cup. SC Zamalek was stunned by Stellenbosch FC, who won the second leg 1-0 in Cairo thanks to a goal by Sihle Nduli.

After a 0-0 draw in the first leg, many expected an easy qualification for the reigning champions. However, Steve Barker's men pulled off an upset, becoming the first South African team to eliminate Zamalek on their home turf. In the post-match press conference, José Peseiro stated:

I am really sad to be eliminated from the Confederation Cup. We lost to a team that only created one chance and managed to score. Zamalek missed many opportunities. I know the players are sad, and we did not deserve our elimination.

The Portuguese coach pointed to a lack of finishing in the first half and admitted that the team was unsettled after the opponent's goal. He also highlighted the importance of Ahmed Mostafa (Zizo)'s absence and the tactical choices that did not pay off:

The 4-3-3 formation we adopted led to Salah Musaddaq's exclusion, and I thought it was the best solution for this match. We will fight for the title, and I do not blame any player for the goal scored against us. They gave it their all, and no one expected such an outcome.

Despite this defeat, Peseiro remains determined to pursue the national championship to make up for this season.

Aliou Toundé |

Editorfr