The talented winger, who came on as a second-half substitute, notched the decisive strike as Zamalek came from behind to snatch a precious win.

"I attended tonight's post-match press conference to congratulate my players for that display," Decastel, who usually allows his assistant Sami Al-Sheshini to talk to the press instead of him, said.

"I also want to thank Shikabala for his efforts because his introduction was a turning point."

Sabri Rahil's stunning volley on 82 minutes cancelled out Saied Mourad's early opener for Olympic.

A simple tap-in by Shikabala seven minutes from time gave Zamalek their second consecutive win.

Swiss tactician Decastel, who took over at the club in January, hailed the players' fighting spirit.

"The players were not concerned by conceding a goal early in the game, they were determined to overturn the deficit and win the game," he added.

Zamalek, who faced the unthinkable prospect of being relegated to the second division earlier this season, are gradually regaining their form after a barren run.

The several youngsters who were promoted to the first-team under former coach Ahmed Refaat, like Hazem Emam and Alaa Ali, proved their worth.

"We are building a team that will be able to compete for honors in the near future," Zamalek chairman Mohamed Amer told Modern Sport.

"We will need to sign few players in the summer to strengthen our squad."