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Kenya Police failed to make their chances count as Zamalek got one step closer to sealing a CAF Confederation Cup group stage place.
Kenya Police could make their chances count as Zamalek secured a crucial 1-0 first leg win over the reigning FKF Cup holders in a CAF Confederation Cup second preliminary round tie that took place at the Nyayo National Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
For the better part of the opening two minutes, Police barely got a sniff of the ball, with Zamalek keeping hold of the possession until the second minute when Patrick Matasi made a timely interception by stopping a cross with his hands.
From then on, Police started to gradually grow in confidence, and in the eighth minute, Francis Kahata picked out a delicious pass towards the path of Jesse Were but it was overhit.
The game then became even, with both sides having an equal share of dominance, but Police would then find themselves creating and missing three big chances in the end, the first in the 25th minute where after a nice exchange of passes, Jaffari Owiti hit a left footed shot just wide of the post.
The second chance came in the 41st minute when they found themselves exchanging neat passes, but the final ball executed by Kahata towards Owiti was intercepted by keeper Mohammed Sobhy. The biggest one of them in the 41st minute, when they found themselves with a good chance to counter attack.
The ball was hit towards David Okoth, who whipped a left footed cross into the center of the box toward Were, but the former Zesco man whipped the ball wide.
Police would pay for their profligacy when Abdullah Al-Saeed struck a delicious ball into the back of the net, leaving Matasi helpless. The goal was created after Aboud Omar had fouled Zamalek’s Mohamed Mohamed just near the edge of the byline on the left, giving them the 1-0 lead heading into the break.
Police did, however, take initiative as Zamalek seemingly opted to sit back and defend their lead, with substitutes Alvin Mang’eni and Tyson Otieno, who had replaced Owiti and Charles Ouma injecting a fresh spark into the team.
They attempted shots at goal, but they would only be straight at the Zamalek keeper with 10 minutes of the game left to play.
Jesse Were would get yet another glorious chance to equalise in the 87th minute when Kahata found him again with a good pass, but the former Tusker Man hit it just wide.
In the end, it was the reigning Confederation Cup holders who would sealed to a crucial win, and it now means they are 90 minutes away from sealing yet another group stage place.
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