Odds are stacked against Zamalek
There is no doubt that Egyptian giants Zamalek face an uphill battle in their bid to overturn a 3-0 deficit in the second leg of the African Champions League final against Mamelodi Sundowns in Alexandria, Egypt, on Sunday - but it has been done before. Admittedly, such an advantage has most often proved decisive in the continent's elite club competition. You have to go back 40 years to find the last time it was not.Guinea's Haifa FC took a 3-0 lead over Algerian side USM Alger after the home leg of the 1976 final and seemed to be on their way to the title.But the North Africans turned the tables in the second leg, also winning by a 3-0 margin, to send the game to a penalty shootout.They did so with an injury-time goal from forward Omar Betrouni.By then the momentum, and the roaring home crowd, were with them and they claimed the title with a 4-1 victory in the shootout.Zamalek are very strong at home and did secure a 4-0 win in the semifinals of this year's competition against a very good Wydad Casablanca side to clinch their place in the decider.Aside from that Wydad win, they have not scored more than two goals in a home game in either the group or later knockout stages of the Champions League in well over a decade. ..
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