Nairobi — Egyptian giants Zamalek caused Kenyan officials anxious moments when they rejected Utalii Hotel, which had been booked for their accommodation moments after arriving in the country yesterday morning.

The team is scheduled to take on Tusker FC this afternoon in a first round first leg Africa Champions League match at the Moi International Sports Centre (MISC), Kasarani.

Tusker officials met the team at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport shortly after 4am and drove them to Utalii Hotel on Thika Road.

Khaled Refaat the leader of the Zamalek delegation said they did not like standards at Utalii.

The hotel is run by the Ministry of Tourism and is closely linked to the world famous Utalii College.

Rafaat said his team is used to five star treatment and would not settle for anything less.

Zamalek who also rejected a van assigned to them for their internal transport as being uncomfortable later attempted to book in at the Hilton Hotel but did not succeed.

They were eventually booked into the New Stanley Hotel. Tusker FC chairman Philip Omondi said the visitors will need to pay the difference in cost.

Elsewhere, Rafaat who is also a board member at Zamalek said his side is looking for a good result tomorrow to put them in good stead come the second leg in two weeks time.

He said the side was not taking any chances. The Egyptians have in recent years lost to Simba of Tanzania and APR of Rwanda.

The two losses in the region is still at the back of their minds.

"The losses to Simba and APR are still etched at the back of our minds and we do not want a repeat of the same," he said.

He said Zamalek are also desperate to win the title for a sixth time three years after their last title.