Mohamed Halim, the technical director of Saka Iron Road, attributed his team's poor performance against Al Ahly in the Egypt Cup to a lack of confidence. The match, which took place on Saturday, 5 November 2026, ended with Al Ahly winning 3-0. Halim stated that his players were nervous and lacked confidence during the first 15 minutes of the game, which led to them losing possession of the ball and allowing Al Ahly to dominate the match.
According to Halim, the team's performance improved slightly after the technical staff made some adjustments to the team's strategy and tactics. However, he emphasized that it was a challenging match, given that they were playing against a top-notch team like Al Ahly. The coach expressed his disappointment with the team's display, stating that they had the talent to perform better but failed to do so due to their lack of confidence.
Halim highlighted that Saka Iron Road has talented players who are capable of delivering a better performance than what was seen in the match. He pointed out that the team was formed and completed its roster just four weeks before the start of the season, which may have contributed to their inconsistent display. The coach also noted that the pressure of playing against a team like Al Ahly had a significant impact on his players' performance.
The coach of Saka Iron Road emphasized that his team's fear of Al Ahly and the pressure of the match prevented them from showcasing their true abilities. He expressed his hope that his team would learn from this experience and improve their performance in future matches. Al Ahly's 3-0 win earned them a spot in the round of 16 of the Egypt Cup.
Saka Iron Road's loss to Al Ahly was a significant upset, given that the former is a lower-ranked team. The match was part of the Egypt Cup's round of 32. Despite the loss, Halim remained optimistic about his team's chances of growth and improvement. He attributed the team's poor performance to the pressure of playing against a top team like Al Ahly.
The Egypt Cup is one of the most prestigious football competitions in Egypt, featuring teams from various divisions. Al Ahly is one of the top teams in the Egyptian Premier League and has a strong record in the competition. Saka Iron Road, on the other hand, is a lower-ranked team that was looking to cause an upset against Al Ahly.
The loss to Al Ahly was a significant setback for Saka Iron Road, but the team's coach, Mohamed Halim, remains committed to improving his team's performance. He emphasized that the team has the talent and potential to deliver better results and is working to address the issues that led to their poor display against Al Ahly.
Key points
- Saka Iron Road's coach Mohamed Halim cites lack of confidence as reason for poor performance against Al Ahly.
Reporting sources
- محمد حليم: لاعبو السكة الحديد افتقدوا الثقة أمام الأهلي · Akhbar el-Yom