Mohamed Shawky announced a 4-1-4-1 for ZED FC, led by Lotfi, as his side prepared to face Al Masry in the Egyptian League Cup Semi Final - First Leg on 25-05-2026 at Sues Stadium.
The visitors lined up in a contrasting 4-1-2-3, led by Eraki, under the management of Emad El-Nahhas. The match, listed for Sues Stadium, is the opening leg of the semi-final tie; both teams entered with clear tactical shapes on paper but without any score or match events recorded on this lineup sheet.
This page serves as the official lineup notice for the cup semi first leg: ZED FC in a 4-1-4-1 formation with Lotfi carrying the on-field responsibility, and Al Masry set in a 4-1-2-3 led by Eraki. Shawky occupies the bench as head coach of ZED FC; El-Nahhas takes the same role for Al Masry. No goals, substitutions, or player absences are listed here.
The numerical detail matters. A 4-1-4-1 implies ZED FC will send a single forward supported by a quartet ahead of a solitary pivot; Al Masry’s 4-1-2-3 suggests a narrower midfield with three attackers ready to press higher. Those formations are the clearest facts available from this first-leg roster: they are the choices the coaches committed to on the day at Sues Stadium.
There is a practical tension built into the lineups. Shawky’s 4-1-4-1 places Lotfi at the fulcrum of the team’s balance, while El-Nahhas’s 4-1-2-3 puts Eraki in a role that could exploit spaces higher up the pitch. The contrast in set-ups — one prioritizing a structured midfield block, the other favoring a front three — frames the tactical chess match before a single minute of play is recorded here.
What happens next is straightforward in competitive terms: the first leg will feed directly into the remainder of the semi-final tie. Coaches and followers will measure the result of these formation choices when the teams reconvene for the return. For followers tracking the league form around these clubs, it is worth noting related coverage of the domestic calendar; El Gouna Fc followers watch as Wadi Degla and ZED FC play out a 2-2 draw in Round 12 —
For Mohamed Shawky, the decision to deploy a 4-1-4-1 and to seat Lotfi as the on-field leader is a clear statement of how ZED FC will approach the first leg. For Emad El-Nahhas, the 4-1-2-3 and Eraki’s role signal Al Masry’s counter-plan. The lineups on 25-05-2026 at Sues Stadium are the facts; the second act of this semi-final tie will reveal which approach proved decisive.
