Stellenbosch and Zamalek draw blanks in CAF Confederation Cup quarter-final first leg

The two sides were unable to break the deadlock in an encounter that failed to deliver the fireworks expected from a clash between the debutants and the holders.

On paper, this matchup seemed a clear mismatchâ”Steve Barker's Stellenbosch making their debut at this stage of continental competition, while Zamalek, with 13 continental trophies to their name, were heavy favorites. However, the game on the field was anything but one-sided.

Stellenbosch were the more dominant side early on, controlling possession and looking to break down Zamalek's defence. Despite their early territorial advantage, both teams struggled to create meaningful opportunities in the opening 20 minutes, with neither side managing a shot on target.

The first real chance of the match came in the 26th minute, when Andre De Jong's powerful strike from range took a heavy deflection, but Zamalek goalkeeper Mohamed Moussa was on hand to make a straightforward save. Just minutes later, De Jong had another go, but his shot sailed wide.

Zamalek's first significant attempt came in the 38th minute, courtesy of Mostafa Shalaby, whose long-range shot flew high and wide of goal, offering little threat to Stellenbosch keeper Sage Stephens. At the other end, Ashley Cupido curled an effort wide of his own just two minutes later.

Despite a few half-chances and the occasional shot from distance, both sides struggled to carve out clear-cut opportunities, and the match went into halftime with the score still 0-0.

The second half started in much the same fashion, with few opportunities in the early exchanges. The first shot on target of the second period came in the 67th minute, but Sihle Nduli's header was easily gathered by Moussa. Just two minutes later, Zamalek's Ahmed Sayed tried his luck from distance, but his weak effort was comfortably saved by Stephens.

Stellenbosch continued to press, but De Jong was unable to direct a header on target in the 72nd minute, leaving the scoreline unchanged.

Zamalek looked the more dangerous side as the game entered its final stages, with the Egyptians nearly stealing a late win in the 85th minute. A close-range header by substitute Nasser Mansi was saved heroically by Stephens, ensuring that the tie remained deadlocked going into the second leg.

The match ended 0-0, with both teams failing to find the back of the net despite a handful of chances. The tie remains finely poised as Stellenbosch now head to Egypt for the second leg, where they will look to build on their strong defensive display and secure a historic spot in the semi-finals.

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