Zamalek Head Coach Jose Peseiro: “We Didn’t Deserve to Lose to Stellenbosch”

Zamalek head coach Jose Peseiro believes his team was unfortunate to be knocked out of the CAF Confederation Cup quarter-finals by South African side Stellenbosch FC.

The White Knights, who were among the tournament favorites, suffered a shock 1-0 defeat at home in the second leg of the tie, courtesy of a Sihle Nduli strike. This result saw the Egyptian giants eliminated, following a goalless draw in the first leg at the DHL Stadium. Stellenbosch’s victory made history, as they became the first South African club to defeat Zamalek at home in the Confederation Cup.

After the game, Peseiro expressed his disappointment, insisting that his side created enough opportunities to win but failed to capitalize.

“I’m definitely sad to be out of the Confederation Cup. We lost to a team that only created one chance and managed to score,” the Portuguese tactician said in his post-match press conference.

“Zamalek missed many chances, and Stellenbosch are excellent at set pieces. I know the players are sad, and we didn’t deserve to be eliminated.

“We were better in the first half, but we had a problem with the final touch, and in the second half, the team was affected after the opponent’s goal.

“Ahmed Mostafa (Zizo) did not participate in the match, and everyone is concerned about the player’s position and the reason for his absence. The 4-3-3 formation we adopted was behind Salah Musaddaq’s exclusion, and I thought it was the most appropriate for the match.

“We will fight in the league championship, and I don’t blame any player for the goal that was scored against us. The players gave their all, and no one expected this ending.”

Zamalek will now shift their focus to domestic competition, hoping to bounce back from their unexpected exit from the continental stage.