Under French showers, Egypt played a scrappy international against an old adversary France is an attractive destination for players who hope that Parisian style might rub off on their play. But last week on Wednesday there was no evidence of 'La Vie en Rose' charm as Egypt played to a drab goallesss draw with the Ivory Coast, writes Nashwa Abdel-Tawab. African champions Egypt drew at Sebastien Charlety stadium in Paris. Unlike the African Nations Cup final last year in Cairo when Egypt beat Ivory Coast on penalties in a thriller, last week's game lacked the intensity and bite. The Ivorians controlled most of the game and had their chances -- bad finishing stopped them from scoring at least once -- while the Egyptians resorted mainly to defence. The Pharaohs were largely affected by the absence of Ahli playmaker Mohamed Abou-Treika, who was injured during his club's CAF Champions League clash against Hilal of Sudan. Playing under dark clouds, intermittent rain and a sparse crowd, Chelsea striker Didier Drogba was the Ivory Coast's standout while Egypt goalkeeper Essam El-Hadari saved exceptionally well to prevent a sure loss. Drogba could have opened the scoring as early as the fourth minute but El-Hadari rushed out to block the effort. El-Hadari saved the net again in the 29th minute when he brilliantly denied a glancing header from Barcelona's newly-signed midfielder Yaya Toure. Drogba hit the back of the net nine minutes before the interval but his goal was ruled offside. Drogba, who struggled to make an impact as he was man-marked by Wael Gomaa, made way for Paris Saint-Germain striker Amara Diane. One minute past the hour mark, Diane controlled a deflected shot inside the area but his close-range shot was saved by El-Hadari's legs. The two teams then made several substitutions and had tame efforts to the end. The Egyptian team had arrived in Paris without Ahli and Ismaili players who had been playing in Sudan and Nigeria just days before following their participation in African club championships. From Sudan, El-Hadari, Gomaa, Shadi Mohamed and Emad Meteb arrived from Omdurman after their team was thrashed 3-0 by Hilal in the African Champions League. And after a 2-0 defeat to Dolphins of Nigeria in the African Confederations Cup, Ismaili's Omar Gamal, Sayed Moawad and Hani Said arrived in Paris on the same day to join the team. Egypt's winning the African Cup of Nations at the expense of the Ivory Coast helped ease the pain of the Ivory Coast going to the 2006 World Cup at Egypt's expense. The Ivory Coast topped the group then, which included Cameroon, beating Egypt home and away. The Ivory Coast also managed to book a place in the African Cup 2008 in Ghana. Egypt has yet to achieve the feat. It is due to play an away game against Burundi on 9 September, followed by a home game against Botswana in the last game of the qualifications the following month. Egypt is top of Group 2 of the African qualifiers with eight points, one ahead of Botswana and two more than Burundi. Middlesbrough striker Ahmed 'Mido' Hossam has returned to the Egypt national team squad and will face Burundi. Egypt coach Hassan Shehata announced the names of several foreign-based players, among which the 24-year-old was recalled after a long period out. Mido, who recently joined Middlesborough, and scored on his debut for the Yorkshire club, seemed to have regained his scoring touch and so was rewarded with a call-up to Egypt. Anderlecht's Ahmed Hassan, Hamburg's Mohamed Zidan, Strasbourg's Ahmed Abou-Mosallam, Ankaragucu's Ibrahim Said and Feyenoord's Sherif Ekrami also joined the European-based list. However, the names of Sheffield United defender Ahmed Fathi and Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Hossam Ghali were missing, due perhaps to their on-bench status, as well as Turkish-based trio Abdul-Zaher El-Saqqa, Mohamed Abdullah and Ayman Abdul-Aziz. France hosted three other friendly international matches last week, including Brazil and Algeria in Stade de la Masson in Montpellier. Maicon and Ronaldinho scored second-half goals to give Brazil a 2-0 win. Maicon nodded in a corner kick from Ronaldinho in the 63rd minute, and the Barcelona playmaker doubled the lead in the 81st by tucking home a low shot from Diego that was deflected by goalkeeper Lounes Gaouaoui. Brazil dominated ball possession in the first half but failed to convert that into goals. Maicon connected with Robinho in the sixth, but the Real Madrid forward's curling drive was punched away by Gaouaoui. The Algeria goalkeeper then denied Elano in the eighth, and blocked an angled shot from Julio Baptista in the 30th. Mineiro slipped a through ball to Vagner Love in the 34th, but Gaouaoui rushed outside his area to stop the CSKA Moscow striker. Algeria retaliated on counter attacks. Set up by Karim Ziani, Rafik Saifi broke the offside trap in the 23rd. But Saifi lost his one-on-one dual against goalkeeper Doni, who tackled the ball as the Lorient forward attempted to dribble past him. Algeria will take on Gambia in an African Cup of Nations qualifier on 9 September. The Montpellier friendly was Brazil's first match since winning the Copa America last month in Venezuela. Brazil will face the United States on 9 September and Mexico on 12 September in friendlies before starting their 2010 World Cup qualifying matches in October.
