Five-time Champions League holders Zamalek will be looking for their sixth African title when they visit South Africa's Mamelodi Sundowns for the competition's final first leg in Pretoria on Saturday. After last lifting the trophy in 2002, Zamalek managed to qualify for the final for the first time since then—their best achievement coming in 2005 when they were ousted by arch-rivals Ahly from the semis. The Whites know they are facing a side to be reckoned with this time, having been beaten by the South Africans twice in the group-stage en route to the final. A 2-1 loss at Cairo's Petrosport stadium was followed by another 1-0 defeat in Pretoria, courtesy of an Ali Gabr own-goal. But Zamalek insist both defeats will not have a negative impact on them in the final, with midfielder Ibrahim Salah convinced the conditions have changed. "The situation is totally different now," Salah told Egyptian website FilGoal.com. "In the group stage, we had almost guaranteed qualification for the semi-final. However, this time both side's chances of winning the title seem equal." Manager Moemen Soliman, meanwhile, is keen to use the two defeats as motivation to exact revenge in the final stage of the competition. "I'm here to avenge Zamalek's loss to Sundowns in the group-stage," Soliman, an ex-Zamalek player during the 90's, said during the pre-match press conference on Friday. "It was a bad thing to suffer both defeats, even though they came ahead of my appointment," he added. Zamalek do not enter Saturday's game in the best condition, being forced to cope with a restricted squad following the release of several players over the summer. The team managed the problem, however, facing Morocco's Wydad Casablanca in the semis, a tie where manager Soliman was largely restricted to changes in the team's attack. Despite hopes of regaining the services of left-back Ali Fathi, who has been out injured since mid-August, the ex-Arab Contractors defender will continue to miss out. Fathi's injury, in particular, has caused Zamalek problems in both legs against Wydad, with makeshift right-back Ramzi Khaled struggling in the role in the 4-0 home win, while Islam Gamal did not quite convince in the following 5-2 return-leg defeat. Playmaker Mohamed Ibrahim's absence has also taken a toll on Zamalek's attack, as the Cairo giants looked in desperate need for an attacker capable of holding the ball at Wydad. What has to be really worrying Zamalek boss Soliman are the yellow cards collected by center-back duo Gabr and Gamal—who were at the heart of Egypt's defense in the 2-1 World Cup qualifying win at Congo—in addition to Bassem Morsi, Ayman Hefni and Maarouf Yussuf. With the quintet just one yellow card away from suspension in the return leg, due to be staged at Alexandria's Borg El-Arab Stadium, manager Soliman can ill-afford losing further players to bans. Sundowns manager eyeing history On the other side, Sundowns manager Pitso Mosimane will be looking to make history with the club who have yet to win a Champions League title. The South Africans last appearance in a Champions League final came in 2001, when they happened to lose to Zamalek's arch-rivals Ahly 3-0 on aggregate. Mosimane will be looking to bank on his superb 100% home record in the competition this season, having won all his home games en route to the final. “The best thing is to try and win here, not go to Cairo to try and play for a result,” Mosimane told reporters this week. But the South African manager will be forced to do without striker Leonardo Castro, out due to a long-term injury, with Anthony Laffor—on target in the 2-0 semi-final second-leg win over Zambia's ZESCO—expected to deputize. Sundowns, who enter the game on the back of a 3-0 MTN 8 Cup defeat by Bidvest Wits on October 1, will be relying on the dangerous combination of Khama Billiat and Keagan Dolly, who have both been key in the attacking third this season. They managed to get into this stage after edging out Zambia's ZESCO 3-2 on aggregate in the semis.
(For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.)
