Cairo, Egypt – Continental powerhouse, Zamalek SC of Egypt, comfortably booked their place in the next round of the CAF Confederation Cup after a 1–0 victory over Somalia’s Dekedda FC on Friday night at the Cairo International Stadium.
Tunisian striker Seifeddine Jaziri netted the only goal of the match in the 36th minute, converting a penalty with composure to extend Zamalek’s dominance in the two-legged tie. The spot kick was awarded after a Dekedda defender handled the ball inside the box, leaving the referee with no choice but to point to the spot.
Despite already holding a commanding 6–0 advantage from the first leg in Djibouti earlier this month, Zamalek showed no signs of complacency. The White Knights controlled possession, dictated the tempo, and created several scoring opportunities, though they were unable to capitalize on most of them.
Dekedda, representing Somalia in the continental competition, put up a more organized defensive display this time around, showing resilience against a vastly more experienced opponent. Their goalkeeper made a series of crucial saves to deny Zamalek a larger margin, earning applause from both sets of fans.
The Egyptian side’s aggregate 7–0 victory underscores their intent to reclaim continental glory, a decade after lifting the Confederation Cup in 2019. Head coach José Gomes praised his players’ professionalism, noting that maintaining focus across both legs was key to advancing comfortably.
Zamalek now shift their attention to the upcoming stage of the competition, where tougher challenges await. For Dekedda, their campaign ends here, but the experience of facing one of Africa’s elite clubs is expected to inspire growth in Somali football as the nation continues rebuilding its sporting identity.