Keepers show as Zamalek, Sagrada Esperanca draw in Luanda

Zamalek and Angola’s Sagrada Esperanca played to an entertaining goalless draw in Luanda on Saturday, as the two sides shared spoils in their second match day of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League group phase on Saturday.

Both goalkeepers, Leonardo Mutunda for Sagrada and Mohamed Abou Gabal for Zamalek, did a splendid job to keep the scores even and scoreless, with each side showing good attacking flow.

It was the second consecutive draw for Zamalek who came from two goals down to draw 2-2 with another Angolan outfit, Petro de Luanda, in their opening match in Alexandria last weekend.

Sagrada lost their opening group stage match 3-0 to Wydad Athletic Club , and the point is a plus to their campaign of making the quarter finals.

Zamalek had the better chances in the opening half but couldn’t find the back of the net. Achraf Bencharki saw a left footed shot from close range saved by the keeper while the ever green Shikabala also had a rasping shot from outside the area turned behind by Mutunda.

There were more chances to come for each side in the second half. In the 67th minute, Mutunda made a good point blank save to keep out Ahmed fatouh’s shot after some quick movement of play released the defender out on the left.

In the final quarter hour of the game, it was Sagrada who were forcing Abou Gabal to work. In the 77th minute, the burly shot stopper had to go full stretch to turn away Karanga’s freekick behind for a corner.

A minute later, Gabal was once again at full flight, this time pushing away Joseph Olatubosum’s left footed belter behind for another set piece.

Gabal thwarted the home side once again in the 83rd minute from point blank after Lionel Yombi was sent through on goal with a dicey pass from Bonginkosi Dlamini.

In the second minute of added time, Zamalek came close to snatching victory at the death but substitute Omar El Said was denied by the woodwork after taking a first time shot from a cross on the left.

The draw leaves Zamalek second in the standings with two points while Sagrada are bottom with one.