With high motivation and big ambitious, top four Ahly players have joined Egypt U23 national team to take part in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games that kick off on Thursday. Veteran goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shennawi, winger Taher Mohamed Taher, midfielder Akram Tawfik and forward Salah Mohsen flied to Japan from Morocco after helping Ahly win the 2021 African Champions League late on Saturday. The quadrilateral stars played influential role in Ahly's 3-0 victory over Kaizer Chiefs in the Champions League final on Saturday and they left the team's crew and flied to Japan to join the Olympic team's squad. The young Pharaohs are scheduled to open their Olympic Games' campaign against Spain on Thursday before facing Argentina three days later and Australia on 28 July. Egypt Olympic team coach Shawki Gharib called up another five Ahly players, defender Ahmed Ramadan and midfielder Nasser Maher to take part in the Olympic team's squad. Egypt booked their place in Tokyo Olympic Games after winning the Africa U-23 Cup of Nations. The draw put the young Pharaohs in Group C alongside Argentina, Australia, and Spain. Ittihad Jeddah's defender Ahmed Hegazi, Ahly's goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shennawi, and Zamalek defender Mahmoud "El-Wensh" Hamdi will join the U23 team as the three senior players. Olympics regulations for football tournaments state that each team is allowed to include three over-age players, while the rest of the players must be under 23. Egypt will be represented by 134 athletes, including soccer and handball teams in the prestigious event that will kick off on 23 July and lasts until 8 August. The Pharaohs are bidding to snatch five or six medals at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, according to the President of the Egyptian Olympic Committee Hisham Hatab. (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.)
