NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 20 – Kenya Police FC’s ambition of progressing to the group stages of the CAF Confederation Cup in their debut season ended Friday night after losing 2-1 on the night in Cairo and 3-1 in aggregate to defending champions Zamalek SC.
Ahmed Mostafa ‘Zizo’ and Naser Abd Elhamaed scored for the White Knights at the Cairo international stadium while Police’s goal was scored by Jesse Were.
Police travelled to Cairo seeking a win of more than two goals to win the tie on aggregate, and they had a good approach as they stayed compact and played behind the ball for most of the first half.
Keeper Patrick Matasi was busy in between the sticks as he made fine saves to deny Zizo twice as well as Mostafa Shalaby’s close shot from the left, while Nabil Aly had a well struck shot from the edge of the area rise narrowly over the bar.
In the second half, Zamalek remained potent in attack and they broke the deadlock 10 minutes after the restart when star player Zizo volleyed sweetly on his side boot off a counter attack, skipper Omar Gaber’s cross from the left finding him unmarked at the backpost.
The hosts were 2-0 up five minutes later when Police were caught in possession as they tried to play out from the back inside their own box, skipper Musa Mohammed’s short pass to keeper Matasi being plucked by Elhamaed who slotted home.
Buty Police still tried to get something off the game and they halved the deffict in the 65th minute when Aboud Omar’s freekick found the run of Were inside the box, the former Zesco man nodding home.
The Kenyan side should have levelled with 10 minutes to play. Substitute Tyson Otieno did brilliant to slalom past his markers at the edge of the box before spraying the ball out wide for Abud. The left back lifted a cross back into the box, finding Tyson again, but his volley after a good chest control skied over the bar.
Despite late efforts, they couldn’t rock at least a draw away from home, but the coaching team of Salim Babu and Anthony ‘Modo’ Kimani, would be proud of the effort they put.
