Zamalek vs Al Ittihad Prediction: Zamalek to extend their dominance over Al Ittihad

Zamalek and Al Ittihad are set to face each other at Cairo International Stadium in Round 8 of the Egyptian Premier League. In their previous encounter at this venue, Zamalek emerged victorious. Will Al Ittihad secure their first win over Zamalek since 2018?

Zamalek are coming off a 1-1 draw against Future FC in the CAF Confederation Cup, a result that was sufficient to secure their advancement to the next round. In that match, Zamalek rallied from behind to salvage a draw, with Ahmed Hamdi's strike in the 66th minute nullifying Joseph Ngwem's lead for Future FC. However, Zamalek have only managed two victories in their last five games, both of which were in the CAF Confederation Cup against SOAR and Future FC. On the other hand, they suffered defeats against both Al Ahly and El Gouna in league matches. Leading up to this fixture, Zamalek currently occupy the 15th position in the league standings with 15 points from 11 games this season, holding just a three-point lead over teams facing relegation.

Al Ittihad are coming off a hard-fought away victory against Al Masry in their previous league encounter. In that match, Al Ittihad secured all three points with a late-minute strike by Mabululu, equalizing the score initially set by Benjamin Boateng. A glance at Al Ittihad's recent matches reveals that they have maintained an unbeaten streak in four consecutive games, facing off against National Bank of Egypt, ENPPI, and Future FC. Currently, Al Ittihad occupies the 3rd position in the Egyptian Premier League standings with 27 points from 15 games, trailing first-placed Pyramids by two points.

This match could swing in either direction as both teams are in dire need of securing the three points. Zamalek requires a victory at home to prevent themselves from being caught up by relegation-threatened teams, while Al Ittihad is aiming to ascend to the top of the standings with a win. Although it's challenging to predict a clear winner considering the current performance disparities between the two sides, I anticipate history repeating itself in what promises to be an open match. Both teams are likely to score, and I predict Zamalek will emerge victorious.