The club repeated their Egypt Cup failure, writes Mohamed El-Sayed Few imagined that Zamalek, champions of the Egyptian Football League, would pay farewell to the country's 82-year-old Cup competition in the last-16 stage. But the White House's hopes of securing both the league title and Egypt Cup for only the third time in their history were shattered by neighbours Tersana who won 4-2 on penalties after the game ended 2-2 in regulation time. Zamalek departed from the same championship last season in similar circumstances, beaten by Goldi on penalties, and again after drawing 2-2. Zamalek, 16-time winners of the cup, had lost to the lowly Hammers only once in 14 years, the last time being a first round defeat in the 1991 national league. Despite the fact that Zamalek played without 11 players who were added to the national team for their 2006 opening World Cup qualifying match against Sudan, the club pinned hopes on second stringers to make up for the deficit. Things went well for the whites at the beginning when libero Wa'el El-Qabbani delivered a Beckham trademark free-kick from 28 yards, scoring the opener in the eighth minute. However, the Hammers, floundering badly in the league, replied nine minutes later through Hossam Mabrouk. In the 59th minute, ex-Zamalek striker Osama Nabih gave Tersana the lead thanks to goalkeeper Wa'el Zenga's poor collection of the ball. Zamalek's junior Hossam Osama saved his team when he netted a cross just seconds before the final whistle. Not accustomed to playing extra time, referee Mohamed Abbas stopped the match after suffering cramps. Zamalek's doctors hurried onto the pitch to treat Abbas and perhaps to curry favour with him. But Zamalek were beaten 4-2 from the penalty spot. Vingada, who reportedly has not renewed his contract with the White House administration, saw the result "natural in light of the absence of key players". The Hammers will now meet the second-division Arab Contractors on Tuesday in the last-eight phase. The Arab Contractors kicked Mansoura out of the last-16 after beating them 2-0. The Contractors have contracted Hassan Shehata, former head coach of the national youth team, to lead them for the remaining cup matches and the new season of the second division. Zamalek's early exit from the cup meant that Ahli and Ismaili could make up for a meagre season. Ismaili, runners-up in last year's edition, managed to cross the Suez Canal to the last-eight, beating Qanah 3-1 in extra time. Omar Gamal, who came to Ismaili from the Upper Egyptian club Aluminum for LE325,000 during the transfer period in January, scored a hat-trick. Gamal, perhaps the shortest player on the field, netted two of his goals via head. Mohamed Gaafar fired Qanah ahead 16 minutes into the first half. After wasting a flood of gilt-edged chances by still inexperienced players, Gamal managed to level for the Dervishes just seven minutes before time. The fervent yellow supporters had to wait for extra time before their team came through. Gamal was there to fulfill the task, netting the ball in the third and eighth minutes of extra time. "We should have finished the match before extra time," German head coach of the Dervishes Theo Bucker, who kept shouting from the sidelines throughout to instruct his young players, said. "However, my players proved their efficiency and showed rare fighting spirit throughout the match." Ismaili will play second division Rabat & Anwar of Port Said who eliminated first division Ghazl Al-Mehalla 1-0. On Friday, cup holders Ahli edged Ittihad of Alexandria 2-0. Ittihad gave one of their best performances this year, not surprising given that half of their line-up are ex-Ahli players who seek to prove that their former club was mistaken to have sold them. On the other hand, the Red Devils' second-string players sought to establish themselves in the absence of key players due to the national team's engagements and injury. The match also witnessed the bright comebacks of right winger Sayed Abdel-Hafeez and midfielder Mohamed Gouda from injury. Abdel-Hafeez fired the Devils ahead in the 30th minute from a delicious cross by Gilberto, who travelled the following day to join Angola in their World Cup qualifier with Algeria. Gouda was the most energetic player on the red team, creating -- and wasting -- most of the opportunities that came the Devils' way. After a series of dangerous attacks launched by the Alexandrian team, Ahli doubled the score via the Brazilian import Gilberson two minutes into injury time. "We did not feel the absence of our international players. We played our best match today," said Hossam El-Badri, the Devils' assistant coach. Ahli will play on Tuesday with Misri of Port Said at the Military Academy Stadium in Cairo in the last-eight stage. Misri qualified after hammering Upper EgyptAswan 4-2 three weeks ago. Enppi, who punished Koroum of Alexandria 3-1, will meet Baladiyet Al-Mehalla which eliminated Telefonat Beni Soueif 4-2 on penalties after drawing 2-2.
