UAE — The Cairo Nomads answered back with their most complete effort of the opening round, pushing the Cyber Bedouins (UAE) to a 2–1 shootout before falling short in tiebreaks.
The headline: history made. “Bob,” a fill-in forward, buried the first official goal in Nomads history, snapping a low shot past the blocker after a clean zone entry and middle-lane drive pulled coverage apart. That strike stood through a tight-checking game where Cairo layered responsibly, kept the slot clean, and forced the Bedouins to the outside.
The Bedouins found their equalizer late, setting up a tense finish and a cagey overtime. In the shootout, Assistant Captain Michael Mitrakos delivered for Cairo with a composed tally—shoulders, delay, forehand finish—but the Bedouins converted twice to edge it. Omar Ashraf (Egypt) was named Player of the Game for Cairo after an all-ice performance—clean exits, good sticks on entries, and jump through the neutral zone.
What Went Right
- Defensive layers showed up: Tight gaps, disciplined backpressure, and better routes on the backcheck kept rush chances manageable.
- Breakout mechanics improved: Center support and low wingers gave the D clean first passes—night-and-day from Game 1.
- Clutch moments: Bob’s milestone goal and Mitrakos’s shootout finish showed poise when it counted.
What Needs Work
- Finish at 5-on-5: Cairo created enough to win but left pucks in the blue paint. More sticks inside and second efforts are non-negotiable.
- Shootout reps: Pace, angle selection, and deception need live reps; too many straight-line approaches made the goalie’s reads easy.
- Late-game management: A couple of loose clears and long shifts preceded the equalizer. Shorten the bench or shorten the shifts—pick one.
Bottom Line
This was a legit step forward. Cairo proved they can skate with a top UAE side, defend in structure, and generate offense the right way. The shootout loss stings, but the tape says progress. Bank the habits, sharpen the finish, and this turns into points in the bracket.
Player of the Game (Nomads): Omar Ashraf (Egypt).