The match between Ahly and Zamalek saw Ahmer Abdelkader scoring a leveller in the 73rd minute, and then netting the winning goal in the 86th minute, securing the first league win over Ahly since 2020 for Jose Gomes’ men. This result did not sit well with Koller, who reportedly scolded his players after the match and demanded physical training for the squad. He also urged his players to focus on their upcoming match in continental competition against TP Mazembe.
Following the match, Ahly executive Khaled Bebo announced that Koller would be the only one engaging with the media. Koller defended his tactics in the post-match press conference, stating that they did not start the game with the wrong formation and addressing complaints about his substitutions. Koller emphasized that the team needed to put the loss behind them and shift focus to their next match.
He planned to hold a team meeting when they returned to the training ground before their upcoming match in Lubumbashi.