A dour goalless draw was the outcome as Ceramica Cleopatra FC and Tala'ea El Gaish played out a stalemate in the Egyptian Scores Cup. The match, lacking in clear-cut chances and attacking flair, will likely be quickly forgotten by both sets of supporters as neither side could find the breakthrough required to progress to the next round, meaning a replay or penalty shootout may be required depending on the competition's rules. It was a game characterized by midfield congestion and cautious tactics. Both teams seemed wary of making a costly error in a knockout fixture, leading to a tense and fragmented first half with few shots on target. The second period offered little more in terms of entertainment, with the best opportunity falling to Ceramica Cleopatra, whose striker headed over from a promising position. Tala'ea El Gaish offered a sporadic threat on the counter but failed to test the opposition goalkeeper seriously. As the match wore on, fatigue set in, and the quality deteriorated further, with the final whistle bringing relief more than excitement. The result leaves both teams in a state of limbo, with their cup fate still to be decided. They will have to regroup and find more attacking invention for the next encounter. The Ceramica Cleopatra manager expressed frustration, saying, "We controlled the game but lacked the final pass. We need to be more clinical." His Tala'ea El Gaish counterpart took a more pragmatic view: "It was a tough game. A clean sheet away from home is not a bad result, and we live to fight another day."