In front of an impressive spectator turnout, the Egyptian Eagles Athletic Club celebrated winning the African Flag Ladies Cup (AFLC) held in collaboration with the Cairo Bears. Four teams took part in the African tournament including two Egyptian teams: Eagles Athletic Club and Cairo Bears, along with the Moroccan Jaguars and the guest of honour, Philadelphia Phantomz. Taking the first baby steps in support of the sport, Zed Club welcomed the event on Friday 8 January on their field as the official tournament sponsor. Zed is also launching the first Juniors American Football Academy in West Cairo in February. American football has been gaining popularity over the past six years on Egyptian fields, attracting more and more participants to the game. The sport is being run by the Egyptian Federation of American Football which now comprises 16 teams. The Eagles Athletic Club is one of the oldest teams in Egypt with unique management that focuses on building a strong base which enabled them to host an event on this scale. Eagles President and AFLC director Mustafa Hamad said he was proud to host the tournament and ensured that both his team and the Egyptian Federation of American Football “have a strong strategy in the coming phase that will continue the spread of this sport that attracts a large number of male and female players”. Cairo Bears President Shadi Al-Kadri added that the tournament did require a lot of effort to be carefully organised on such a large scale. Al-Kadri also expressed his gratitude to Zed for hosting the event “and all the guests who play an important and significant role in spreading American football in Egypt and Africa”. Throughout the day, the two Egyptian teams managed to make a bold statement reflecting their level of skills and talent while also displaying impressive high-level performances which revealed how far Egyptian American football players have reached. The tournament's opening game saw the Eagles Athletic Club taking on the Moroccan Jaguars in a game that proved the Eagles are a force to reckon with. The game ended 26-6, which meant the Eagles would be playing in the AFLC final game. Next was the Cairo Bears vs the Philadelphia Phantomz. While this game may have been tough for the Bears who were playing against a team from the US, where the sport originates, the Bears were able to put on a solid offensive and defensive game earning them a 14-6 win, making them the second Egyptian team to make it to the finals. The Moroccan Jaguars and the Philadelphia Phantomz then faced off in a play-off game to determine the third-place winner. The game was lighthearted and cheerful, ending with an 8-0 win for the Jaguars, placing them in third place. In the final, the undefeated Eagles Athletic Club faced the restless Cairo Bears in a game that kept the fans on the edges of their seats. The two teams were determined to earn the win and played a great game for a victory. Right until the last seconds, it was still unclear who would win. With a three-point difference, the Eagles earned the title of the African Flag Ladies Cup champions with a 33-30 victory. The day concluded when Eagles President Hamad along with the club management Mohi Omar and Mahmoud Zaghloul as well as Cairo Bears President Al-Kadri handed out the cup as well as the MVP awards. Appreciation awards were also given to all partners, the other participating teams and host Zed Club for sponsoring the tournament.
*A version of this article appears in print in the 14 January, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly.
