Zamalek coach Moaman Soliman says he couldn’t communicate with his players due to the Mamelodi Sundowns supporters overpowering his voice.

The Brazilians moved within touching distance of a first continental crown following their 3-0 thumping of Zamalek in the first leg of the 2016 Caf Champions League final at the Lucas Moripe Stadium on Saturday.

The 42-year-old coach says his side controlled the match until the opening goal and he believes it was due to the fact that his voice was overpowered by the Sundowns supporters.

‘We started the game very well, we controlled the game until the first goal, and after that, the game changed. I lost control, to be honest, the spectators were very loud, so my players couldn’t hear my voice,’ Soliman said.

Soliman says he is confident that the White Knight can overturn their 3-0 deficit in the second leg of the African finals.

‘But after all, I have confidence in my players, I promise you that we will fight in Egypt. From now on, I start to speak about the next game,’ he added.

‘First of all, sometimes we have big mistakes, and that, I cannot blame any  player. These are my supporters, if I blame them now, I cannot play another game. So my players are big players, and they deserve to be in the final.

‘We had two big mistakes in the first-half, I cannot understand that we made this naive mistake in the final of the Champions League, but it happens in football, and I can live with that.’

Zamalek will now welcome Mamelodi Sundowns in the second leg of the Caf Champions League finals.

Image: Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix