CAIRO: Zamalek assistant coach Mohamed Helmi said that the team was put under enormous pressure, especially from the referee, during Sunday s CAF Champions League game at Africa Sports.
The Cairo club conceded two goals from the spot in Abidjan to conclude a 2-2 aggregate score line, before winning the tie on penalties.
The referee adjudged Beshir Al-Tabie to have handled the ball for the first penalty, but television replays proved there was not much in it.
We were facing several obstacles, besides the high humidity; the referee certainly did not help us, Zamalek second man Helmi told Nile Sports TV after the game.
It was a disastrous first penalty decision, and the second one was controversial as well.
However, I admit we were not at our best, we should have played a better game despite the difficult conditions.
Veteran striker Abdel Halim Ali, who netted the winning spot kick, was also unconvinced with the referee s performance.
It was a very difficult game, we were punished by two unnecessary decisions from the referee, but thank God we won at the end, said the Egypt international.
The Whites will face Angola s Interclube.
