A wasteful Zesco United were held to 1-1 draw by Zamalek in their CAF Champions League Group A match played at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.
The home side applied all the early pressure but it was Zamalek who had the first effort on target, with Mahmoud Alaa forcing Jacob Banda into a save inside the first five minutes.
The game fell into a bit of a lull after that with both teams squandering possession due to poor passing in the final third.
Zesco had the next decent effort on goal when Jesse Were met a cross from Winstone Kalengo, but the former saw his shot from just inside the box go inches over the crossbar.
Neither side could find a goal before the break and entered the half time break locked at 0-0.
Zamalek were the better team at the start of the second half and came close to scoring just after the hour mark when Ahmed Zizo broke through on goal, but he was superbly denied in a one-on-one Banda.
Mostafa Abdalla then netted the first goal when he drilled a powerful header that beat Zesco goalkeeper shortly after coming on to replace Mohammed Ounajem in the 72nd minute.
However, Zamalek’s lead didn’t last long as they expected, as the ever-threatening Quadri Kola levelled matters seven minutes later with Adriana Chama picking up the assist.
George Lwandamina’s charges pushed for a winning goal in the final 10 minutes, as they struck the crossbar, while David Owino forced Abo Gabal into a good stop.
Gabal came to Zamalek’s rescue in the 87th minute, as the shot-stopper produced a good save to keep out Enock Sabumukama’s strike from distance.
Both sides had chances to win the game in the final stages of the second half, with Kola being denied by Gabal, while Tarek Ahmed missed a chance of his own.
How they lined up:
Zesco United: Jacob Banda, Simon Silwamba, David Owino Odhiambo, Clement Mwape Mulashi, Mwila, Phiri, Adrian Chama, Kondwani M’tonga, John Chin’gandu (Enock Sabumukama 66), Jesse Jackson Were, Winstone Kalengo, Quadri Aladeokun Kola
Zamalek: Mohamed Abo Gabal, Mohamed Abdel-Shafi, El-Wensh, Mahmoud Alaa, Mohamed Abdel-Ghani, Ferjani Sassi, Tarek Hamed, Youssef Ibrahim, Ahmed Sayed (Islam Gaber 82), Ounajem (Mostafa Mohamed 58), Achraf Bencharki (Mohamed Abdel-Salam 89)
