Egypt's football stars got what they deserve, Ahmed Morsy reports The Assembly of Professional Egyptian Football Players has honoured the best players in Egypt, awarding them 11 Oscars for the 2007-2008 season. Ahli midfielder Mohamed Abu Treika was selected best player. In 2008, the 29- year-old playmaker scored four goals for Egypt in the African Cup of Nations in Ghana. He scored the winning goal against Cameroon in the final match, helping Egypt to win the Africa Cup of Nations for the second consecutive year. He was selected MVP of the final. He also celebrated with his Ahli teammates the domestic league trophy for the fourth successive time. Since 2004, when he joined Ahli from Tersana, Abu Treika scored seven goals in the derby against Zamalek, two less than the record nine goals by former Ahli and Zamalek striker Hossam Hassan. In 2005, Abu Treika recaptured with his team the Egyptian league after four years. He came in third in top scorers in the Egyptian League with nine goals. Abu Treika also played a big role in Ahli's victory in the CAF Champions League 2005, scoring an amazing goal in the final with an outrageous effort from 30 yards out against Etoile du Sahel of Tunisia in a game which ended 3-0 for Ahli. That year Ahli qualified for the FIFA Club World Championship 2005 in Japan but finished last. In 2006, Abu Treika became the key player for his club and the national team. He scored the decisive penalty shootout which gave Egypt the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations. In addition, he led Ahli to the African Champions title 2006 for the second successive time. He was the top scorer of the competition with eight goals, and scored the final's match winner against CS Sfaxien in the 92nd minute. He also helped the Red Devils in winning the African Super Cup against FAR Rabat of Morocco. Also in 2006, he was the top scorer in the league with 18 goals, and won the Egyptian Cup, then the Egyptian Super Cup in July when he scored the winning goal against Enppi in the 92nd minute (which seems to be his minute of luck) although he was injured in the first half. In the FIFA Club World Championship 2006 in Japan, Ahli snatched the bronze medal to be the first team ever to qualify two successive times to the championship, and the first African team to win a medal in the competition. In 2007, Ahli won the Egyptian league for the third successive season as Abu Treika scored seven goals for his team that season. In the Champions League 2007, Abu Treika scored four goals for Ahli to raise his African goals to 15. Ahli faced Etoile du Sahel in the final match with an opportunity to be the first team to reach the Club World Championship three successive times, and the first team in Africa to win the CAF Champions League three consecutive times. However, Etoile lifted the cup. Hosni Abd Rabo of Ismaili came in second place in the assembly Oscars and Zamalek striker Amr Zaki third. Essam El-Hadari won the award for best goalkeeper, Shadi Mohamed, Hani Said and Wael Gomaa best defenders, Ahmed Fathi best right back, Emad Meteb best striker, Mohamed Shawqi best midfielder and defender Sayed Moawad best left winger. Hassan Shehata of the national team was voted best coach. The assembly also honoured Shehata's assistants Shawqi Gharib, Hamada Sedki, Ahmed Suleiman and Samir Adli for their efforts with the team and the achievement of winning the Africa Cup of Nations for the second successive time. The absence of the majority of the players who were selected, including Abu Treika, El-Hadari, Fathi, Abd Rabo, Mohamed and Gomaa dampened the festivities. However, singers Ehab Tawfiq and Shaza came to the rescue. Minister of Social Solidarity Ali Meselhi, Samir Zaher, president of the Egyptian Football Federation, and Hazem El-Hawwari and Sahar El-Hawwari, board members, attended. The absence of Mahmoud El-Gohari, the technical manager of the Football Federation, raised several question marks. Some attributed his absence to the idea of an Olympic league which he thought of but which has not been adopted.
