Zamalek SC will look to overturn a first-leg deficit when they host USM Alger in Saturday’s decisive CAF Confederation Cup final at Cairo International Stadium.
The Egyptian giants return home trailing 1-0 after suffering a late defeat in Algiers, where Ahmed Khaldi’s stoppage-time penalty handed the Algerians a slender but crucial advantage heading into the return leg.
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Despite the setback, Zamalek will take confidence from their impressive home record in the competition, having lost just once in 24 Confederation Cup matches on home soil. The Cairo-based side has also never suffered consecutive defeats in the tournament’s history.
USM Alger, however, arrive in Egypt carrying strong momentum. The Algerian outfit has lost only once in their last 19 Confederation Cup matches and remains unbeaten in its last three meetings against Egyptian opposition, keeping clean sheets in all three encounters.
The final is expected to produce another tense battle between two continental heavyweights, with both clubs standing just 90 minutes away from lifting one of Africa’s biggest club trophies.
These are the Key Match Facts as brought by CAF
• This will be only the second-ever Confederation Cup meeting between Zamalek and USM Alger following the Algerians’ 1-0 first-leg victory.
• Zamalek have managed just one win in five Confederation Cup matches against Algerian opposition, scoring only two goals across those encounters.
• USM Alger are unbeaten in their last three Confederation Cup games against Egyptian clubs, recording two wins and one draw without conceding.
• Zamalek have never lost back-to-back matches in the competition despite their first-leg defeat in Algiers.
• USM Alger have suffered just one defeat in their last 19 Confederation Cup matches, though they have struggled away in knockout ties with five losses in eight such matches.
• Zamalek have conceded more than once in a home Confederation Cup match.
• Three of USM Alger’s last four goals in the competition have come from penalties, all converted by Ahmed Khaldi.
• The Algerians attempted 23 shots in the first leg, the highest number recorded in a Confederation Cup final since detailed statistics began in the 2016/17 season.
• Ahmed Khaldi is currently USM Alger’s top scorer in this season’s tournament with four goals.
• Zamalek defender Mohamed Ismaeil produced seven tackles in the first leg, one of the highest tackle counts recorded in a Confederation Cup final in recent years.
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