Why Kenya Police have a mountain to climb after Zamalek loss

CAF Confederations Cup action between Kenya Police and Zamalek. [Courtesy]

Kenya Police FC were edged 1-0 by defending champions Zamalek SC in the first leg of the first round of the CAF Confederation Cup played at Nyayo National Stadium on Saturday.

Abdalla Mohammed Sayed drilled in an Ahmed Mostafa's pass to put the visitors ahead in the 45th minute before the breather.

The shot that left Police custodian Patrick Matasi clutching into thin air was a result of an Abud Omar's foul, after the latter was booked for sending Mohamed Shehata to the ground.

 A one-minute silence was observed to honour the late Zamalek and Egypt tactician Ehab Galal before the kick-off. Ehab passed away aged 57.

The visitors started off the game on a strong note, dominating the opening ten minutes of play with threatening salvos from either flanks.

Police forward Jesse Were had a wasted opportunity in the eighth minute which left the sizable fans in the stadium in awe.

The hosts began to penetrate the opponents solid defence in the 16th minute but their efforts were thwarted by the hawk eyed Zamalek custodian Mohamed Sobhy.

It was not until the 23rd minute that Sobhy's mettle was tested by Jafari Odenyi but the Zamalek goalkeeper was too alert to let the midfield volley in.

Odenyi again shot wide after getting another open chance a minute later in the left flank.

The visitors doubled their pressure in the 30th minute, with Matasi making wonderful saves from crosses fired by Sayed from their left flank.

David Okoth and Marvin Nabwire both failed to find the back of Zamalek's net in the 40th minute following a melee, and this left the Police fans bewildered even more.

At the 43rd minute, Police spectators were left in another disbelief after Jesse tapped out another open chance that could have placed them a head.

As they say, when you lose chances in football you are punished next, that's exactly what happened two minutes later when Omar caused the defeatist foul that put Zamalek ahead at the break.

Police stepped up their game on resumption but their finishing power was very feeble. This angered the fans who called upon Were's substitution.

Just like Were, Francis Kahata and substitute Alfred Leku were also a pale shadow of themselves upfront, failing to crack open the solid Zamalek defence.

Following the loss, Police will have a hard time overturning the deficit in the second leg slated for Cairo on September 20.

Zamalek are the CAF Confederation Cup defending champions and are seeking a third title following their victory in the tournament in the 2028/2019 and 2023/2024 seasons.

Kenya Police are making their debut in the continental showpiece. Police passed the first preliminary round with a 1-0 aggregate against Ethiopian Coffee SC last month.

Several Police players were unable to play the encounter against Zamalek including Kenneth Miguna who is serving a four-match ban imposed by CAF in 2019

The aggregate winner of the return leg in Cairo will proceed to the CAF Confederation Cup group stage which has very lucrative perks.

The group stage has 16 teams divided into four batches of four. Each team will play against the other three opponents in a round-robin system.

The group winners and runners-up qualify to two-legged knock-out rounds also played on home and away basis in three rounds (quarter-finals, semi-finals and the finals).

Eventual tournament champions qualify to face the CAF Champions League winners in the CAF Super Cup the following season.

CS Sfaxien of Tunisia is so far the most successful club in the Confederation Cup with three titles.