Rejuvenated Zamalek aim to hold onto top spot

by Staff Reporter

Sunday Mar 17, 2019. 14:00

NA Hussein Dey will play host to a revived Zamalek outfit in an appetising Caf Confederations Cup Group D tussle at Stade du 5 Juillet 1962 in Algiers on Sunday.

Kick-off is at 18h00 CAT.

The Algerian giants head into the fixture tied on seven points with second placed Petro de Luanda, but behind the Angolan giants on the head-to-head record. As a result, the Blood and Gold will need to beat Zamalek in Algiers if they are to book their place in the quarter-finals.

Zamalek sit a mere point above both Petro and Hussein and are just two points better off than bottom placed Gor Mahia, who also still stand a good chance of progression in the tournament.

The White Knights hadn't won a game until week four of the competition, but victory away to Petro in Angola - a first on their travels in the continent in three years - sparked the Egyptians into life as they duly thumped Gor Mahia 4-0 last time out.

"The game against NA Hussein Dey is very difficult and it will decide everything," said Zamalek head coach Christian Gross.

“I have always stressed on the difficulty of the group and that’s what we have seen during the games we played,” he concluded.

Hussein Dey held Zamalek to a 1-1 draw in the reverse fixture in Alexandria last month. Faouzi Yaya netting a late leveller for the visitors.