Zamalek booked their place in the second preliminary round of the CAF Champions League after a comfortable 4-0 victory over Djibouti's AS Port at Cairo International Stadium on Saturday in the second leg of the first preliminary round.

The Egyptian side entered the game with a 2-1 advantage from the first leg, but they did not rely on that result. Zamalek started with strong attacking pressure and looked to finish the tie as early as possible.

Abdallah El Said became the main star of the night after scoring three goals in only 11 minutes. His quick hat-trick put Zamalek in full control before Nasser Mansi scored the fourth goal late in the second half.

The victory gave Zamalek a 6-1 aggregate win and secured a place in the next round, where they will face the Rwandan Army side, who advanced after beating Congo's Eagles 3-1 on aggregate.

Three Goals in 11 Minutes

Zamalek showed their attacking intentions from the opening minutes. Ahmed Abdel Rahim "Isho" almost scored in the third minute with a powerful shot from inside the penalty area, but the ball hit the post.

The opening goal arrived in the seventh minute when El Said received the ball after a pass from Ahmed Sherif and fired a strong shot into the net.

Only one minute later, El Said scored again. Ahmed Sherif sent a low cross into the area, and the experienced midfielder finished it with a powerful strike to make it 2-0.

AS Port then had a good chance after a mistake in Zamalek's build-up play but failed to score, while Ahmed Sherif also missed a one-on-one opportunity in the 15th minute.

Three minutes later, El Said completed his hat-trick. Chico Banza delivered a low cross, and El Said finished from inside the penalty area to score his third goal of the match.

Isho was forced to leave the pitch because of an injury in the 29th minute and was replaced by Oday Dabbagh.

Zamalek went into halftime with a comfortable three-goal lead.

Latest News

Al Ahly Escalate Amr Zahran Punishment With Six-Month Ban and 50% Salary DeductionAmouta Facing Criticism and Pressure at Al Ahly.. What Has Changed and What Is Still Missing?

Head coach Moatamed Gamal made several changes after the break, including the introductions of Nasser Mansi and Mohamed Ibrahim. With qualification almost secured, Zamalek reduced the tempo and managed the second half with less attacking pressure.

However, Mansi added a fourth goal in stoppage time with a volley from inside the penalty area to complete the victory.

Rwandan Army Next

The match was not only important because of Zamalek's qualification. It was also a special night for 41-year-old Abdallah El Said, who continued to set impressive records.

According to the figures reported by the sources, El Said scored his hat-trick at the age of 41 years and 61 days, making him the oldest player in documented cases to score a hat-trick in the CAF Champions League.

His three goals came in only 11 minutes, with strikes in the seventh, eighth and 18th minutes.

El Said also increased his total in African club competitions to 29 goals, making him the third-highest Egyptian scorer in continental club tournaments.

Mahmoud El Khatib remains top with 37 goals, followed by Mohamed Aboutrika with 32, while El Said now has 29. He moved ahead of Emad Meteb, who scored 28, and Hossam Hassan, who scored 27.

The experienced midfielder also reached 30 goal contributions for Zamalek in 97 appearances, scoring 19 goals and providing 11 assists.

It was El Said's first hat-trick for Zamalek and his first since 2020, when he scored three goals against Tanta in the Egyptian Premier League while playing for Pyramids.

He also became the fifth Zamalek player to score a CAF Champions League hat-trick, following Gamal Abdel Hamid, Abdel Halim Ali, Ahmed Sayed "Zizo" and Nasser Mansi.

After completing the AS Port tie with a convincing result, Zamalek will now turn their attention to the Rwandan Army side in the second preliminary round, as the Egyptian club continues its push toward the group stage and a deeper run in the CAF Champions League.