Zamalek assistant coach Ayman Mansour blamed his side's unconvincing 2-0 win over Maleyet Kafr Al-Zayat on poor fitness. Mostafa Gaafar and Gamal Hamza scored late in each period as Zamalek labored to victory over the second-division side and advanced to the quarter finals of the Egyptian Cup. "We qualified to quarters but the players failed to put on a good display due to lack of fitness," Mansour told a press conference after the game. "We asked them to score early but they lacked efficiency and imagination in front of goal until Gaafar broke the deadlock.” Zamalek will play Suez Cement in the next round of the tournament. The Whites are the favorites for the title after Ahli and Ismaili bowed out with defeats to Asyut Petroleum and Petrojet respectively.
