Zamalek’s Amir Mortada blames wet weather for derby draw

by Graeme Jackson

Monday Apr 01, 2019. 12:00

Amir Mortada, Zamalek’s director of football, has blamed the wet weather and a waterlogged pitch for his side’s 0-0 draw with Al Ahly in the Cairo derby this past weekend.

The White Knights and the Red Devils played out a goalless stalemate at the Borg El Arab Stadium on Saturday night, with the players battling against the rainy conditions and a heavy pitch in Alexandria.

“The state of the ground was the main reason for such a disappointing result, we wanted to win the game but it was very difficult in these circumstances,” Mansour said to reporters after the game, as quoted by KingFut.

“The players performed well despite the conditions, I think we would have beaten Al Ahly if we had played at a different stadium.

“Before the game we were waiting for the game to be postponed; since we wanted to play in a better atmosphere, but that didn’t happen.

“We are still the leaders of the table, and we will have better performances in the following games,” Mansour concluded.

Zamalek enjoy a two-point lead over Ahly at the top of the Egyptian Premier League log – each team has 11 matches remaining in the domestic championship.

Both teams will return to African club competition action this coming weekend, with Ahly facing Mamelodi Sundowns in the Champions League and Zamalek taking on Hassania Agadir in the Confederation Cup.