Egypt extends Eni's oil and gas concession in Suez Gulf, Nile Delta to 2040    Egypt, India explore joint investments in gas, mining, petrochemicals    Egypt launches National Strategy for Rare Diseases at PHDC'25    Egyptian pound inches up against dollar in early Thursday trade    Singapore's Destiny Energy to invest $210m in Egypt to produce 100,000 tonnes of green ammonia annually    Egypt, South Africa discuss strengthening cooperation in industry, transport    Egypt's FM discusses Gaza, Libya, Sudan at Turkey's SETA foundation    UN warns of 'systematic atrocities,' deepening humanitarian catastrophe in Sudan    Egypt's Al-Sisi ratifies new criminal procedures law after parliament amends it    Egypt launches 3rd World Conference on Population, Health and Human Development    Cowardly attacks will not weaken Pakistan's resolve to fight terrorism, says FM    Egypt's TMG 9-month profit jumps 70% on record SouthMed sales    Egypt adds trachoma elimination to health success track record: WHO    Egypt, Latvia sign healthcare MoU during PHDC'25    Egypt, India explore cooperation in high-tech pharmaceutical manufacturing, health investments    Egypt, Sudan, UN convene to ramp up humanitarian aid in Sudan    Egypt releases 2023 State of Environment Report    Egyptians vote in 1st stage of lower house of parliament elections    Grand Egyptian Museum welcomes over 12,000 visitors on seventh day    Sisi meets Russian security chief to discuss Gaza ceasefire, trade, nuclear projects    Egypt repatriates 36 smuggled ancient artefacts from the US    Grand Egyptian Museum attracts 18k visitors on first public opening day    'Royalty on the Nile': Grand Ball of Monte-Carlo comes to Cairo    VS-FILM Festival for Very Short Films Ignites El Sokhna    Egypt's cultural palaces authority launches nationwide arts and culture events    Egypt launches Red Sea Open to boost tourism, international profile    Qatar to activate Egypt investment package with Matrouh deal in days: Cabinet    Omar Hisham Talaat: Media partnership with 'On Sports' key to promoting Egyptian golf tourism    Sisi expands national support fund to include diplomats who died on duty    Madinaty Golf Club to host 104th Egyptian Open    Egypt's PM reviews efforts to remove Nile River encroachments    Al-Sisi: Cairo to host Gaza reconstruction conference in November    Egypt will never relinquish historical Nile water rights, PM says    Egypt resolves dispute between top African sports bodies ahead of 2027 African Games    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    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.



Zamalek's broken heart

Egyptian league leaders Zamalek were bashed 2-0 by the persevering Hearts of Oak of Ghana in the African Super Cup final. Zamalek's defeat was a big disappointment for its fans after a recent run of good form that has taken it to the top of the Egyptian league and earned it the African Cup Winners' Cup late last year.
Hearts of Oak thoroughly outplayed Zamalek as it scored a goal in each half and squandered many more in a trouble-free finale played in Ghana's second-largest city Kumasi.
Hearts was playing out of its home ground after it was banned for a year from playing any continental club games at the Accra Sports Stadium. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) punished Hearts after its trouble-marred win in the African Champions League final over Esperance of Tunisia in December when rioting Hearts fans caused an 18-minute suspension in the match. Kumasi is nearly 300 kilometres from the Ghanaian capital of Accra.
Hearts was determined to prove its eligibility for winning Africa's top club prize despite being out of action since its problematic win over Esperance in which Esperance's keeper Chokri Al-Oaer was severely injured by the Ghanaian crowd.
Ismael Addo scored the opening goal for Hearts in the 11th minute, capitalising on a dreadful mistake by the Egyptian goalkeeper, Abdel-Wahed El-Sayed, who misjudged a corner by Emmanuel Osei Kufuor.
El-Sayed fumbled as he failed to control the high-crossed ball which found the foot of Addo. Ghanaian Footballer of the Year Kufuor doubled his team's lead with just 10 seconds gone in the second half when he received a nicely executed pass by defender Charles Taylor to secure his team's win.
Although the players showed flashes of themselves on a few occasions, Zamalek was far from impressive. Walid Abdel-Latif came close of reducing the deficit in the 58th minute but Hearts' Daniel Quaye cleared the ball from the goal line.
Egyptian league top scorer Tareq El-Said was Zamalek's most effective player but Hearts of Oak outduelled their Egyptian counterparts in midfield.
With the loss, Zamalek missed a chance to capture its third Super Cup which would have earned it the right to keep the trophy for good. It won the trophy in 1994, overcoming Ahli 1-0 in Johannesburg, and again two years later when it beat another Egyptian club, Arab Contractors, in a penalty shootout after a goalless draw in Cairo.
Zamalek is one of the most successful African football teams, having won the African Champions League a record four times.
It was Hearts' fourth trophy in a row after winning Ghana's league and FA cup and the African Champions League in December.
Hearts and Zamalek will both travel to Spain in July as the African representatives in the World Club Champions after the CAF decided that both the Champions League winners and Cup Winners' Cup victors would be included in the 16-team tournament.
Recommend this page
© Copyright Al-Ahram Weekly. All rights reserved
Send a letter to the Editor

Clic here to read the story from its source.