Zamalek SC defender Mahmoud Hamdi Al-Wensh has expressed frustration over refereeing decisions following his side’s 1-0 defeat to USM Alger in the first leg of the CAF Confederation Cup Final.
The Egyptian club suffered a narrow loss in Algiers after USM Alger were awarded a penalty during a tense contest, leaving Zamalek with work to do ahead of the decisive return leg in Cairo.
Speaking after the match, Al-Wensh praised the efforts of his team-mates and insisted the players had produced a strong performance despite the disappointing outcome.
“We played a great match, the players gave their all on the field, and we were aiming for a better result.”
The defender also raised concerns about the penalty awarded to the Algerian side, suggesting the decision remained open to debate. While careful not to directly criticise the officials, he admitted the refereeing decisions had become a major talking point after the match.
“We don’t like to talk about refereeing, but the penalty kick was questionable, and there were some controversial refereeing decisions, and the result came as a surprise to us.”
The comments came after a dramatic encounter in which Zamalek attempted to contain USM Alger while also threatening on the counter-attack. The Egyptian side believed they had performed well enough to secure a positive result away from home before the late setback altered the outcome of the first leg.
Al-Wensh’s reaction reflected the frustration within the Zamalek camp, particularly as the match was decided by a single goal in a final where margins are expected to be extremely tight.
The defender, however, remained optimistic about his side’s chances of overturning the deficit in the second leg, stressing that preparations would immediately begin for the decisive match in Egypt.
“We will get our act together in the coming period, and we will sit down with Captain Moataz Gamal in order to prepare well for the return match.”
Zamalek are now expected to rely heavily on home support as they seek to recover from the defeat and keep alive their hopes of lifting another continental title.
The club has previously demonstrated an ability to recover from difficult first-leg situations in African competitions, and Al-Wensh believes the players remain mentally prepared for another comeback.
“We have great confidence in our ability to make up for it in front of Zamalek’s fans in the return leg.”
The match also reignited debate surrounding officiating decisions in major African club competitions. Former player Haitham Farouk had earlier suggested that Zamalek were denied legitimate goals and described the penalty awarded to USM Alger as “difficult to award”.
Despite the controversy, Zamalek’s attention now turns fully to the second leg, where they will attempt to overturn the one-goal deficit in front of their supporters.
For USM Alger, the narrow victory provides a valuable advantage heading into the return fixture, but Zamalek’s players appear determined to ensure the tie remains far from decided.
With tensions high and the final still finely balanced, the second leg in Cairo is expected to be one of the most closely watched matches of the African club season.
