UK investment in Egypt nears $50bn as trade ties deepen – ambassador    Global stocks mixed on Wednesday    Egypt advances strategy to reduce public, external debt    Egypt, China discuss sustainable Gaza ceasefire and Sudan truce    Gaza death toll climbs as winter cold intensifies humanitarian emergency    Public enterprises record $1bn in exports, 20% revenue growth in FY 2024/25: Minister    MSMEDA signs EGP 300m financing agreement with Reefy    GAFI prioritises Start-Up Support Unit, Investor Dispute Settlement Centre: Heiba    GENNVAX launches largest regional vaccine manufacturing facility with $150m investment    Health Minister Discusses radiology upgrade with Curagita, ACH    Sanofi introduces new multiple myeloma treatment to Egyptian market    Central Bank of Egypt, Medical Emergencies, Genetic and Rare Diseases Fund renew deal for 3 years    Egypt, Saudi FMs discuss Gaza, Sudan and preparations for Supreme Coordination Council    Egypt's SPNEX Satellite successfully enters orbit    Egypt unveils restored colossal statues of King Amenhotep III at Luxor mortuary temple    Egyptian Golf Federation appoints Stuart Clayton as technical director    4th Egyptian Women Summit kicks off with focus on STEM, AI    Egypt's PM reviews major healthcare expansion plan with Nile Medical City    UNESCO adds Egyptian Koshari to intangible cultural heritage list    UNESCO adds Egypt's national dish Koshary to intangible cultural heritage list    Egypt calls for inclusive Nile Basin dialogue, warns against 'hostile rhetoric'    Egypt recovers two ancient artefacts from Belgium    Egypt, Saudi nuclear authorities sign MoU to boost cooperation on nuclear safety    Giza master plan targets major hotel expansion to match Grand Egyptian Museum launch    Australia returns 17 rare ancient Egyptian artefacts    China invites Egypt to join African duty-free export scheme    Egypt calls for stronger Africa-Europe partnership at Luanda summit    Egypt begins 2nd round of parliamentary elections with 34.6m eligible voters    Egypt warns of erratic Ethiopian dam operations after sharp swings in Blue Nile flows    Egypt scraps parliamentary election results in 19 districts over violations    Egypt golf team reclaims Arab standing with silver; Omar Hisham Talaat congratulates team    Egypt launches Red Sea Open to boost tourism, international profile    Sisi expands national support fund to include diplomats who died on duty    Egypt's PM reviews efforts to remove Nile River encroachments    Egypt resolves dispute between top African sports bodies ahead of 2027 African Games    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Champions League Final: Treika-inspired Ahly seek revenge against Esperance
Ahly, welcoming back inspirational playmaker Mohamed Abou-Treika, host Esperance on Sunday (17:00 GMT) in the first leg of the African Champions League final
Hatem Maher Published in Ahram Online on 04 - 11 - 2012

Ahly's inspirational playmaker Mohamed Abou-Treika will be looking to haunt Tunisians once again when his side host title holders Esperance in Sunday's African Champions League final first-leg, an anticipated fixture between the bitter foes.
Abou-Treika's memorable last-gasp winner against Sfaxien in 2006, which gave Ahly a remarkable Champions League triumph, is still fresh in the memory of the Red Devils' faithful who will have the chance to watch their team from the stands for the first time since February's Port Said disaster.
The veteran schemer's two-month suspension ends in a timely manner as Ahly seek to exact revenge over an Esperance side who knocked them out of the previous two editions of Africa's elite club competition.
Esperance, who will make their third consecutive appearance in the Champions League final, beat Ahly on the away-goal rule following a controversial 2-2 aggregate draw in the semis in 2010 before eliminating them from the group stage last year.
Abou-Treika was banned by Ahly for skipping an Egypt Super Cup game against ENPPI in September to stand by die-hard fans (Ultras Ahlawy), who demanded that their team withdraw from all domestic competitions until the perpetrators of Port Said's disaster, which left over 70 supporters dead, are brought to justice.
“I'm very happy with the support I received from coach Hossam El-Badry during that (suspension) period,” Abou-Treika, a cult figure among Ahly's fans, told reporters last week.
“He stood by me and I have to thank him for the efforts he exerted for me and the team. We are fully ready for the Champions League final, we are focused on fulfilling the dream of winning the title.”
Up to 15,000 Ahly supporters are allowed to attend the match at Alexandria's Egyptian Army Stadium in Borg El-Arab district after authorities had partially lifted a crowd ban that has been in place since the country's worst football tragedy.
However, members of Ultras Ahlawy, who are consistently acclaimed for creating feverish atmosphere inside stadiums but vilified for rioting and some off-pitch troubles, are unlikely to show up, having said they would boycott any football matches until a verdict is delivered in the notorious Port Said saga.
Mind games
The build-up to the game witnessed an exchange of words between both sides, spicing up a potential heated encounter between the North African rivals.
Ahly coach El-Badry said he was worried over possible refereeing mistakes in the final, recalling an infamous goal by former Esperance striker Michael Eneramo in the 2010 semi-final second leg.
The Nigerian frontman used his arm to score an illegitimate goal that grabbed headlines and incurred the wrath of El-Badry, who was in charge of Ahly at the time before making way for Portuguese manager Manuel Jose.
El-Badry further escalated tensions before Sunday's final after implying that the Tunisians could receive a favourable treatment from the referee because Tunisian Tarek Bouchamaoui is in charge of CAF's refereeing committee.
Esperance football director Riadh Bennour accused the 52-year-old of playing mind games.
“Everyone talked about the Eneramo incident at the time. My worry over refereeing does not mean that I'm hurling accusations against anybody,” El-Badry said.
“Every team must defend its rights. And our right is to have a fair referee.”
Esperance have suffered a blow few days before the match after playmaker Youssef Msakni was ruled out of the game after undergoing an emergency appendectomy on Thursday.
Msakni, who provides much of Esperance's spark, will be joined on the sidelines by his brother Iheb, leaving Cameroon's combative striker Joseph Yannick Ndjeng as the only reliable frontman at the disposal of coach Nabil Maaloul.
An almost full-strength Ahly will only miss left-back Sayed Moawad, who sustained a foot injury.
(For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports)
http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/57051.aspx

Clic here to read the story from its source.