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200 fans only to attend Egypt Cup final Zamalek and Smouha will pass fans' names on to football association officials to allow them attend the Egypt Cup final on Saturday
Due to security concerns, just 200 fans will attend the Egypt Cup final between Zamalek and Smouha at Cairo's Air Defence Stadium on Saturday. Security officials had initially refused to stage the domestic cup final, initially set to take place at Cairo Stadium, in the presence of fans. But the Egypt Football Association has since announced that a small number of Zamalek and Smouha fans will be allowed to cheer on their teams at the stadium. "The military authorities have agreed to hold the game at the army-owned Air Defence Stadium," EFA board member Hamada El-Masry said. "Only 100 Zamalek fans and an equal number of Smouha supporters will be allowed to watch the game from the stands. "But both clubs will need to send a list of the fans' names to the EFA to allow their supporters in." Last season's Egypt Cup final between Zamalek and Wadi Degla also faced similar security concerns, but around 4,000 fans were eventually allowed to watch the match at the 7,000-seat Gouna Stadium. Fan attendance at matches has been limited ever since the deadly Port Said killings in 2012, when 74 visiting Ahly fans were killed in the stands after a Masry-Ahly match. There have been attempts since to get fans back into the stadiums, but clashes between Ahly's ultras fans and security forces after an African Super Cup game at Cairo Stadium nearly five months ago saw security officials reimpose limits on attendance. Reigning champions Zamalek, who are eyeing a twenty-third Egypt Cup title, will take on first-time finalists Smouha after the latter managed to overcome African champions Ahly in the competition's semis. (For more sports newsandupdates,followAhramOnlineSportson Twitter at@AO_Sportsand onFacebook atAhramOnlineSports.) http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/106562.aspx
