Egypt have opted to skip an inaugural continental tournament Reigning African champions Egypt have pulled out of CAF's newly launched tournament for home-based players. Preliminary qualifying for the first ever finals of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) has already begun. Egypt were due to enter the first round stage, which starts at the beginning of May. The Pharaohs pulled out so they can concentrate on securing a place at the World Cup in South Africa in 2010. Egypt Football Association (EFA) board member Hazem El-Hawari explained the thinking behind the move to the BBC. "The national team is preparing to take part in World Cup qualifying and this is Egypt's dream, to take part in the World Cup," he said. "This is what we are thinking of at the moment, and all our efforts are focussed on this." Replacing the Pharaohs first team with the under-20 national side was discussed by the EFA board, but was rejected. "They are busy preparing for the FIFA Under-20 World Cup, which is to take place in Egypt just four months after the CHAN finals," El-Hawari said. It is thought that there were also concerns about pitting Egypt's young stars against already established players from the likes of Libya, Morocco and Algeria. "We are very sorry to miss the inaugural tournament," El-Hawari said. "Egypt has been present at the start of every CAF event, and Egypt has always supported the idea of having a championship for local players." CAF football development director Abdel-Minaam Hussein said Egypt was fined $1,000 for withdrawing and will be suspended for two editions, 2009 and 2011. The tournament is intended to act as a counterweight to the Africa Cup of Nations many of whose star players play in Europe and often overshadow their continent-based counterparts. Cote d'Ivoire will host the tournament from 22 February to 8 March 2009. Egypt was in the northern qualifying zone, together with Libya, Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia. Altogether 40 countries were qualifying, before Egypt pulled out, divided into six zones. Northern Zone (5): Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia Zone West A (5): Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Senegal, Gambia Zone West B (7): Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire (host) Niger, Nigeria, Ghana, Togo Central Zone (6): Cameroon, Central Africa, Congo, Gabon, RD Congo, Chad. Central-East Zone (7) : Burundi, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, Eritrea. Southern Zone (10): Angola, Botswana, Mauritius, Namibia, South Africa, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland, Zambia, Zimbabwe Ghana were the most impressive winners and Libya the surprise package in the qualifiers. Emmanuel Banahene scored the goals in Niamey as Ghana defeated Niger 2-0, the same margin by which they won the first leg in a competition restricted to footballers based in their country of birth. Banahene plays for national title contenders Heart of Lions from the remote northern town of Kpandu and team-mates John Boye and Dominic Adiyiah scored the first-leg goals in Ghana two weeks ago. Youthful Libya, given little chance in the Tunisian Mediterranean resort of Sousse after being held 1-1 at home, forced a similar result at the base of African club champions Etoile Sahel and won the penalty shootout. Tanzania overturned a one-goal first-leg deficit against long time regional rivals Kenya by winning 2-0 in Dar es Salaam with the crucial goal from Nadir Haroub arriving deep in stoppage time. True to the promise of Brazilian coach Marcio Maximo that Tanzania would attack relentlessly, the home team kept Kenya on the back foot but had to wait 77 minutes before Jerry Tegate scored to level the tie on aggregate. Robbed of victory in Eritrea by a stoppage-time penalty, Uganda made no mistake in Kampala to triumph 3-0 via goals from Stephen Bengo, Geoffrey Sserunkuma and Dan Wagaluka. Bengo scored off a free kick to give the Cranes a 1-0 half-time advantage and a solo effort by serial scorer Sserunkuma demoralised Eritrea, who came from behind twice in Asmara to force a 2-2 draw. The introduction of Caeser Okhuti enlivened Uganda and he set up the final goal for Wagaluka midway through the second half before going close with a scorching shot. Eritrea were lucky not to suffer a heavier loss as another Bengo free kick rebounded off the crossbar and a header from defender Joseph Owino struck a post. Hungary-born Uganda coach Laszlo Csaba lavished praise on rising star Okhuti. "Caeser was not fit to start so I reserved him for the final 30 minutes and he made a huge impact." Zambia also won 3-0 at home to send Swaziland packing after a drawn first leg with man of the match Kennedy Mudenda scoring one goal and creating the others for Rodger Kola and Emmanuel Mayuka. Dennis Fakudze wasted a good chance for the visitors just before Kola converted an 18th-minute cross and unmarked Gina Mbuso squandered an opportunity to equalise by shooting at goalkeeper Mike Poto. A Mudenda dribble and shot led to goalkeeper Njabuliso Simelane spilling the ball into the path of Mayuka, who made no mistake, and Clive Sichondwe set up the Zambian hero for the third goal. Swaziland coach Raul Savoy blamed the heavy loss on the sub-standard Lusaka hotel where the team were placed by their hosts with music blaring until the middle of the night. "How can Zambia give us accommodation where the band plays until three o'clock in the morning? When your team came to Swaziland they stayed in a top- class hotel, but you treated us like animals," fumed the Swiss coach. Mozambique edged neighbours Malawi on away goals after winning 1-0 in the northern town of Nampula courtesy of a first half goal from Helder Pelembe after the visitors played under protest, claiming the pitch was sub-standard. Mauritania took a similar route to the second round, drawing 0-0 against fellow minnows Gambia in Nouakchott to earn a crack at much tougher opponents Guinea next month.
