Zamalek's deep-lying forward Youssef Ibrahim, nicknamed Obama, will be available for Friday's vital African Champions League away to holders Esperance after recovering from injury. A minor knee complaint ruled Obama out of the quarter-final first-leg against the Tunisian side, which Zamalek won 3-1 to edge close to a place in the Champions League last four. Although he has only scored two goals in 22 appearances in all competitions so far this term, Obama has been one of Zamalek's key players, providing eight assists. He is likely to reclaim his starting berth in the return leg in Rades, with Moroccan winger Mohamed Ounajem expected to start on the bench despite scoring a screamer in the first leg. Zamalek will have to do without the versatile Abdallah Gomaa though due to injury. Gomaa, who came on as a late substitute in the first leg, was Zamalek's regular left-back last season. Although he proved one of the team's stars last year, he is largely confined to the bench this term after some nagging injury problems took their toll on him. The veteran Mohamed Abdel-Shafi is now the preferred choice as a left-back for Zamalek's French coach Patrice Carteron. Central defender Mohamed Abdel-Ghani, who has recently lost his place to Mahmoud El-Wensh, is also unavailable through injury. (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.)
