Abu Dhabi: Mahmoud Gennesh, Zamalek’s penalty shootout hero in his side’s Egyptian Super Cup victory over Cairo rivals Al Ahly in Abu Dhabi on Friday night, dedicated the win to his side’s fans.
Gennesh, 29, Zamalek’s second choice behind national team shot-stopper Ahmad Al Shennawi, saved two spot-kicks in the shootout, from Moemen Zakareya and Saleh Gomaa, after the game had finished goalless after 90 minutes. The 3-1 shootout success at Al Jazira’s Mohammad Bin Zayed Stadium handed his side their third Super Cup title, but first in 15 years, since claiming the first two trophies in 2001 and 2002.
“We worked really hard and this was a deserved win,” said the match-winner.
“We wanted to win in regulation time, but thankfully we got the win anyway in penalties.
“Our fans mean everything to us, they give us a huge motivation. We thank everyone who showed up today, and even to those who couldn’t make it, we dedicate this win to them.”
Zamalek had beaten the Egyptian Premier League champions Ahly 3-1 in last season’s Egypt Cup, but had lost to the Red Devils in the last two Super Cup finals. For Al Ahly, it ended their recent dominance of the competition, having won the last four finals.
The Mohammad Bin Zayed Stadium was packed for the encounter, one end of the ground a sea of Al Ahly red and the other a mass of Zamalek white.
But sadly, the game did not match the frenzied atmosphere in the stands.
This was perhaps not surprising after both sides had players arriving in the UAE capital only on Tuesday following Egypt’s 2-1 defeat in the Africa Cup of Nations final to Cameroon on Sunday.
A turgid first half passed by with little incident. The Red Devils wanted a penalty when Abdullah Al Saeed tumbled under Mahmoud Hamdi’s challenge, but Czech referee Pavel Kralovec was unmoved.
Zamalek’s only chance came when Mohammad Ebrahim’s cross fell invitingly to Bassem Morsim, but he snatched at his shot and Sharif Ekramy gathered gratefully.
The second half was similarly dour with defences on top. The clearest either side came to a goal came a minute before the end, when Al Ahly’s Nigerian striker Junior Ajayi stumbled after substitute Gomaa sashayed his way into the box and found the 21-year-old yards from goal.
Ahmad Hegazy was the only Al Ahly player to score in the shootout, with Zakareya and Gomaa foiled by Gennesh. The former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Hossam Galy then blasted the ball over the bar to send Zamalek supporters into delirium after Mursi, Osama Ebrahim and Ahmad Refaat had all netted.
The final was the second time the two teams have contested the Super Cup, the traditional curtain-raiser to the new Egyptian football season, which was postponed from last year, and held in the UAE. The first time was in October 2015 at Al Ain’s Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium, which Al Ahly won 3-2.
Friday’s match was the latest boost to UAE-Egyptian footballing relations after September’s Arabian Gulf Super Cup between Al Ahli and Al Jazira was held in Cairo, and outside the UAE for the first time.
