Moroccan coach Abd ar-Rahim Taleb believes Zamalek have a clear opportunity to go all the way in this season’s CAF Champions League after reaching the group stage.
Zamalek secured their place in the next round by beating Rwandan Army 1-0 in both legs of their tie. Saturday’s victory confirmed their return to the group stage after a three-season absence.
Speaking to ON Sport after the match, Taleb said his side had failed to produce the required performance before half-time but improved significantly after the break.
“We did not show the level expected in the first half,” Taleb said. “After the interval, we were better, controlled the match and created chances, but we could not turn them into goals.”
The Rwandan side followed a similar pattern to the first leg in Kigali, according to their manager. Taleb said the tactical changes he made during the interval helped his players reach Zamalek’s goal more frequently, but a lack of accuracy in front of goal prevented them from changing the result.
He added that Rwandan Army had benefited from the experience of facing Zamalek, despite the difficulty of the tie. The Egyptian club’s experience and strong home support had also played an important part, he said.
Taleb felt that attacking through the wide areas was not enough because his players lacked precision when finishing their moves.
The Moroccan coach praised Zamalek’s quality and pedigree, describing them as a club with a major history, a winning mentality and a tradition of collecting trophies. He also highlighted the strength of their squad, including their substitutes, as well as the ability of their manager.
“I congratulate Zamalek and hope they win the title,” Taleb said.
He believes the route to the latter stages could be more open for Zamalek after defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns were eliminated from the competition.
The absence of Al Ahly and Wydad from this season’s tournament also strengthens Zamalek’s prospects, Taleb said. He hopes the club can take advantage of those circumstances and go on to lift the trophy.
Zamalek’s qualification followed two narrow victories over Rwandan Army, with the same 1-0 scoreline in each match. Their progress marks the end of a three-season wait to return to the group stage of the CAF Champions League.
