Zamalek secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over Al Mokawloon Al Arab on Wednesday evening at Cairo International Stadium in Matchweek 8 of the Egyptian Premier League.

Angolan forward Chico Banza scored the winning goal in the 88th minute, while Mohamed Hamad impressed after coming off the bench at halftime and scoring Zamalek's opening goal.

The victory moved Zamalek to 19 points in second place in the league standings, while Al Mokawloon remained seventh with 11 points.

Hamad Opens the Scoring Before Banza Seals the Win

Zamalek started the match with attacking pressure, looking for an early goal through Chico Banza, Abdallah El Said, and Ahmed Fatouh.

However, Al Mokawloon goalkeeper Mohamed Fawzy made important saves to keep his team in the game.

The visitors also created chances through Mido Gaber, but Zamalek goalkeeper Mahdy Soliman responded with solid saves, and the first half ended goalless.

At halftime, Zamalek head coach Moatamed Gamal introduced Mohamed Hamad in place of Ahmed Abdel Rahim Esho, a decision that quickly made an impact.

In the 47th minute, Hamad opened the scoring after receiving a pass from Oday Dabbagh inside the penalty area and firing a direct shot past Mohamed Fawzy.

However, Zamalek's lead lasted only 11 minutes.

Al Mokawloon equalized in the 58th minute when Mohamed Abdel Nasser's shot took a deflection off Omar Gaber before finding the net.

The match became more exciting after the equalizer, with Idrissa Thiam missing a dangerous opportunity for the visitors.

Joaquim Ojera also came close to giving Al Mokawloon the lead, but his powerful shot struck Zamalek's crossbar.

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Moatamed Gamal responded with several attacking substitutions as Zamalek continued searching for a winning goal.

The decisive moment arrived in the 88th minute when Chico Banza fired a powerful shot from inside the penalty area into the right side of the goal.

Zamalek held on during the remaining minutes to secure three valuable points and continue their challenge near the top of the Egyptian Premier League table.

Hamad Reveals Gamal's Message and Dedicates Win to His Mother

After the match, Mohamed Hamad expressed his happiness with the victory and thanked Zamalek supporters for their continued encouragement.

He explained that the players were fully focused on winning despite facing a difficult opponent.

Hamad also revealed that head coach Moatamed Gamal had spoken to him before his introduction, giving him confidence and encouraging him to play without fear.

The midfielder said that the coach's message helped him perform well and make an immediate impact by scoring Zamalek's opening goal.

He stressed that Zamalek are a big club that always fight until the final minute to secure victory.

Hamad also dedicated the win to his mother after an impressive performance that earned him the Man of the Match award.

The victory highlighted the importance of Gamal's second-half decisions, with Hamad opening the scoring and Banza delivering the late winner.

Despite facing difficult moments after conceding the equalizer, Zamalek showed determination and managed to secure an important victory ahead of their upcoming matches.