Top in team squash IN A DRAMATIC final in Odense, Denmark, top seeded Egypt beat France 2-1 to capture the Men's World Team Championship after a10-year absence in the men's team events. Karim Darwish started the final battle, losing 3-1 to Gregory Gaultier (11-8, 5-11, 8-11, 2-11 ) in 53 minutes but Egyptian teammates Amr Shabana, the world No 1, and Rami Ashour made up for the loss by beating Thierry Lincou 3-1 (11-6, 7-11, 12-10, 12-10) and Renan Lavigne 3-0 (11-3, 11-4, 11-5) in only 23 minutes to engrave Egypt's name back on the team's events honorary list. Must win EGYPT must beat Zambia in Lusaka to keep their 2010 World Cup hopes alive. Zambia host Egypt on Saturday, 10 October in a crucial qualifier. Egypt, who have not reached the World Cup since 1990, lie second in Group C with seven points, three behind leaders Algeria with two matches remaining. As for Zambia, they are six points adrift of leaders Algeria and three above bottom side Rwanda who have just one point. In the other group match, Algeria host Rwanda the day after and will hope to increase their goal difference which is currently three more than Egypt. The final group game, between Egypt and Algeria, is in Cairo on 14 November. Zambia take on Rwanda in Kigali on the same day. Zambian Sports Minister Kenneth Chipungu admitted that the qualifier with Egypt will be tough, stressing on his disappointment with the Chipolopolo. They have their focus limited on reaching the African Cup of Nations as they need a draw to make the Angola finals. "Zambia will not have it easy when they face Egypt because they are a quality side," Chipungu was quoted by Zambian media. "They need to work extra hard. It won't be easy to beat Egypt because they want to qualify for the World Cup. "I always want to see the national team win but they always disappoint me. The results that are coming through are not encouraging." The Pharaohs found no difficulty in crushing Mauritius 4-0 at Petrosport Stadium on Friday in a warm-up. A brace from classy playmaker Mohamed Abu Treika and goals from Amr Zaki and Ahmed Hassan gave them an easy victory. Zaki was given the opportunity to play the full 90 minutes after not playing any game for Egypt since a 3-1 World Cup qualifying defeat to Algeria in June. Moreover, midfielder Mohamed Hommos, defender Sherif Abdel-Fadil and striker Salah Amin were also given a chance. Egypt will only have themselves to blame if they fail to make it to the finals this time. Despite being the most successful team on the continent, winning the Cup of Nations for a record six times, the Pharaohs have played in only two World Cups, in 1934 and 1990. Enppi jolted EGYPTIAN football side Enppi were held to a 2-2 draw against Malian giants Stade Malien, diminishing hopes of the Cairo club's first ever continental glory in their African Confederation Cup first leg clash on Saturday. The result saw the Bamako-based team maintain their impressive away run in the second tier continental club championship in Cairo at the expense of the highly rated Enppi, financed by the Egyptian Oil and Gas Company. Stade Malien, who were making their second visit to the land of the Pharaohs in the competition, stunned the home crowd to claim the convincing draw, which slightly gives them an edge over their hosts ahead of the return leg. The last visit of the 'Les Blancs' was against Haras Al-Hodoud at the mini-league phase which ended 1-1 and striker Osman Bagayoko made clear intentions of a similar output with the opener on 22 minutes. Bagayoko, left unmarked in the Enppi defence, slotted home the opener against the run of play. Hosts Enppi launched several raids into the half of the visitors in their quest to draw even. Their efforts yielded dividends four minutes from time when Adel Mustafa scored from the spot after being fouled in the penalty area. Seven minutes from recess, Ahmed El-Muhammadi shot Enppi into the lead for the first time in the game after finishing off a nice move to light up the hosts aspirations of becoming the first Egyptian club to win the second tier competition. As the clocked ticked and with victory in sight for the hosts, Bakary Coulibaly quenched all hopes with the equaliser on 71 minutes from an impossible angle with a shot that squirmed through the hands of Enppi goalie Amer Mohamed. The return leg is slated for Bamako in a fortnight and the winner will face the winner of the Entente Setiif-Bayelsa clash in the grand finale. Brazil for the first time BRAZIL will become the first South American country to host the Olympics after the city of Rio de Janeiro was chosen to stage the 2016 Games. Rio won a majority of the 95 votes at a meeting in Copenhagen, eliminating Madrid in the final round. Tokyo and Chicago had already been knocked out. "The world has recognised that the time has come for Brazil," said President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Chicago's early exit was a surprise, after bookmakers made them favourites. US President Barack Obama had flown to Denmark on Friday to join his wife, Michelle, and make an emotional address to the International Olympic Committee delegates. But the gesture, the first time a current US president had addressed the IOC in an attempt to win the Games, failed to persuade the voters as Chicago became the first city to see its dream of hosting the biggest sporting event in the world fall by the wayside. Speaking to reporters at the White House on his return, Obama said he wished he had come back with better news, but congratulated Brazil for a "truly historic" win. "As friends to the Brazilian people, we welcome this extraordinary sign of progress," he said. The president said he had no doubt that Chicago's bid had been the strongest possible, could not be prouder of the city, and insisted that he had no regrets about travelling to Denmark. "I believe it is always a worthwhile endeavour to promote and boost the United States of America," he added. Chicago received only 18 of the 94 votes available in the first round poll of IOC delegates at the Bella Convention Centre on Friday afternoon. Madrid came out top with 28, followed by Rio on 26. In the second round, however, Rio almost secured the absolute majority needed to win outright, with 46 of the 95 votes cast. Madrid came a distant second with 29, while Tokyo was eliminated after receiving 20. The final ballot saw Rio win by a comprehensive margin of 66 votes to 32. More than an hour later, IOC President Jacques Rogge finally revealed the result to the world: "Like in every competition there can only be one winner. "Tonight, I have the honour to announce that the Games of the 31st Olympiad are awarded to the city of Rio de Janeiro." The Brazilian bid team leapt to their feet in celebration, began singing their Marvelous City song, waving flags and hugging each other. A tearful President Lula told reporters afterwards: "The other countries made proposals. We presented a heart and a soul." There have been questions about Rio's bid, not the least the high level of violence which so often scars the city's image, but in one glorious moment that was all set to one side for a truly Brazilian party. In his speech to the IOC earlier, President Lula had promised: "Rio will deliver an unforgettable Games. You will see for yourselves the passion, the energy and the creativity of the Brazilian people. "It will not be just Brazil's Games but South America's. It will serve to inspire the 180 million young people on the continent. It is time to redress the balance. It is time to light the Olympic flame in a tropical country." Rogge said Rio had presented the IOC "with a very strong technical bid, built upon a vision of the Games being a celebration of the athletes and sport, as well as providing the opportunity for the city, region and country to deliver their broader long-term aspirations for the future. "This call to 'live your passion' clearly struck a chord with my fellow members, and we now look forward to seeing Rio de Janeiro staging the first Olympic Games on the continent of South America," he said. Rio plans to stage all the competitions inside the city, bringing "dynamics to the Games and facilitating the athletes' interaction", according to the bid website. There will be seven competition centres in four Olympic regions -- Barra, Copacabana, Deodoro, and Maracana -- with football matches held in the cities of Belo Horizonte, Brasilia, Salvador and Sao Paulo. Its bid is divided into a $2.8bn (�1.92bn) budget for operating costs, and $14.4bn (�9.90bn) for construction and security.
