Rafah Crossing 'never been closed for one day' from Egypt: PM    Egypt will keep pushing for Gaza peace, aid: PM    Remittances from Egyptians abroad surge 70% YoY in July–May: CBE    Sudan's ambassador to Egypt holds reconstruction talks on with Arab League    Egypt's current account gap narrows, but overall BoP records deficit    Al-Sisi urges accelerated oil, gas discoveries, lower import bill    SCZONE signs $52.6m textile industry deals during China investment tour    Egypt hosts international neurosurgery conference to drive medical innovation    Egypt's EDA discusses Johnson & Johnson's plans to expand investment in local pharmaceutical sector    I won't trade my identity to please market: Douzi    Sisi calls for boosting oil & gas investment to ease import burden    EGX to close Thursday for July 23 Revolution holiday    Egypt, Senegal sign pharma MoU to unify regulatory standards    Famine kills more Gaza children as Israel tightens siege amid global outrage    Kuwait's Crown Prince, Egyptian minister discuss strengthening cooperation    Egyptian Drug Authority discusses plans for joint pharmaceutical plant in Zambia    Egypt's FM seeks deeper economic, security ties on five-nation West Africa tour    Two militants killed in foiled plot to revive 'Hasm' operations: Interior ministry    Egypt, Somalia discuss closer environmental cooperation    Egypt foils terrorist plot, kills two militants linked to Hasm group    Giza Pyramids' interior lighting updated with new LED system    Egypt's EHA, Huawei discuss enhanced digital health    Foreign, housing ministers discuss Egypt's role in African development push    Korea Culture Week in Egypt to blend K-Pop with traditional arts    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Three ancient rock-cut tombs discovered in Aswan    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Egypt's Irrigation Minister urges scientific cooperation to tackle water scarcity    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    Egypt's Democratic Generation Party Evaluates 84 Candidates Ahead of Parliamentary Vote    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    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.



Preview: Ahly's Egyptian internationals brace for first of three big matches
Published in Ahram Online on 04 - 10 - 2013

Ahly's Egyptian international players facing three pivotal matches in the span of 15 days, starting with Saturday's clash away to Coton Sport in the first leg of the African Champions League semi-final
As if the burden of playing in an African Champions League semi-final is not enough, Ahly's Egyptian internationals are bracing for three pivotal matches that could make or break their season, with several anticipating further success in the twilight of their careers.
The likes of Wael Gomaa and Mohamed Abou-Treika, veterans of hugely successful Ahly and Egypt sides, are aware it might be their last chance to put a gloss on their decorated careers when the Pharaohs play Ghana in Kumasi on 15 October in the first leg of the World Cup qualifying playoff.
That highly-anticipated clash, which gives the duo one last chance to experience World Cup football, having failed in two previous attempts to end Egypt's lengthy drought, is sandwiched between two crucial games for Ahly against Cameroon's Coton Sport in the African Champions League semi-final.
The Cairo giants take on Coton Sport in Garoua on Saturday before hosting the Cameroonians on 20 October in the second leg. Ahly's internationals, brought from the doldrums of a domestic football stoppage, will probably not sleep a wink in hectic 15 days.
“Ahly players can split their concentration between the two games, Coton Sport and Ghana,” said Gomaa, a 38-year-old rock-solid defender who led Ahly and Egypt to a host of titles, including five Champions Leagues and three successive African Cup of Nations titles respectively.
“We will finish the Coton Sport game then return to the Egyptian training camp to prepare for the Ghana qualifier,” he added, banishing worries that the busy schedule could take its toll on Ahly's players.
Formidable Ahly
Ahly look favourites to win a second successive Champions League title which would extend their record to eight triumphs in Africa's elite club competition as they continue to defy the odds.
Nicknamed the Red Devils, they made light of the lack of competitive action last season to lift the trophy at the expense of Tunisia's Esperance, who face South Africa's Orlando Pirates in the other semi-final tie.
It's the same story this term, with the Egyptian Premier League's cancellation for the second straight season due to lingering security concerns leaving Ahly with one target to fulfill - retaining the African crown.
“Talks about a possible game against Esperance are actually harming our prospects in the competition,” Ahly coach Mohamed Youssef said on the club's official website.
“We don't want to be distracted by that. We are only focused on our match against Coton Sport.”
Ahly finished on top of Group A with 11 points in a superb group-stage campaign that saw them lose once against Orlando Pirates and included a remarkable 4-2 victory over arch-rivals Zamalek in the Cairo derby.
They prevailed the last time they met Coton Sport, beating them 4-2 on aggregate in the 2008 Champions League final.
“Ahly are a good team and they benefited well from set-pieces, but we know well how to face them. It will be important to beat Ahly in Cameroon to take a first-leg advantage. We are used to playing well away,” Coton Sport keeper Loic Feudjou was quoted as saying by Cameroonian media.
Ahly will only miss striker Emad Meteb, who has yet to fully recover from a niggling back complaint.
Egypt coach Bob Bradley will be keeping his fingers crossed that the handful of internationals in Ahly's roster comes through the game unscathed as he seeks to confront Ghana with a fully-fit squad.
Ahram Online will provide live coverage of the match, which will kick off at 14:00 GMT (16:00 Cairo local time)
(For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at@AO_Sportsand on Facebook atAhramOnlineSports.)
http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/83159.aspx


Clic here to read the story from its source.