FinMin: Egypt economy expands, budget surplus at record high    Egyptian pound ticks down in early Tuesday trading    Egypt, Senegal sign pharma MoU to unify regulatory standards    Famine kills more Gaza children as Israel tightens siege amid global outrage    Kuwait's Crown Prince, Egyptian minister discuss strengthening cooperation    Egypt's FM seeks deeper economic, security ties on five-nation West Africa tour    Egyptian Drug Authority discusses plans for joint pharmaceutical plant in Zambia    CIB completes fifth securitisation issuance for B.TECH worth EGP 859.4m    Madbouly reviews legalisation of newly annexed lands to new cities, housing offerings    Egyptian Countryside Development chief discusses cooperation with Italian ambassador    Roche helps Egypt expand digital pathology and AI diagnostics    Two militants killed in foiled plot to revive 'Hasm' operations: Interior ministry    Egypt foils terrorist plot, kills two militants linked to Hasm group    Egypt exports 175K tons of food in one week    Egypt, Somalia discuss closer environmental cooperation    Egypt's Health Minister reviews upgrades at Gustave Roussy Hospital    Giza Pyramids' interior lighting updated with new LED system    Egypt's EHA, Huawei discuss enhanced digital health    Egypt expresses condolences to Iraq over fire tragedy    Foreign, housing ministers discuss Egypt's role in African development push    Korea Culture Week in Egypt to blend K-Pop with traditional arts    Egypt, France FMs review Gaza ceasefire efforts, reconstruction    CIB finances Giza Pyramids Sound and Light Show redevelopment with EGP 963m loan    Egypt, Uruguay eager to expand trade across key sectors    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Three ancient rock-cut tombs discovered in Aswan    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Egypt's Irrigation Minister urges scientific cooperation to tackle water scarcity    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    Egypt's Democratic Generation Party Evaluates 84 Candidates Ahead of Parliamentary Vote    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    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.



Sports Talk: Today belongs to Sfaxien
Published in Daily News Egypt on 10 - 11 - 2006


Weighing the odds for an Al-Ahli win
CAIRO: Our all too brief one-game winning streak of correct predictions came to an abrupt halt when Egypt's Al-Ahli drew 1-1 with Sfaxien of Tunisia in the first leg of the African Champions League final in Cairo two weeks ago. We had said Al-Ahli would win by a goal, but what do we know? We should be given credit for being close, but nobody cares about almosts.
Nevertheless, like all good sports critics with questionable methods of analyses, we shall carry on to the bitter end, to the endgame of this 10-month, 14-match odyssey that concludes in Rades Stadium in Tunisia tonight.
The projected outcome of today's winner-takes-all encounter is to be found in the last paragraph, but if you're interested in knowing how we reached this inimitable result, you are strongly urged to read this invaluable study in its entirety.
Al-Ahli are in tatters. They have hobbled into Rades with seven starters out of service: five are injured, two yellow-carded. Neither Barcelona, nor Chelsea nor AC Milan could lift a major continental championship when more than half the team is not working. Should Al-Ahli do any better?
And with this supporting cast, Al-Ahli must score at least one goal in hostile environs if they are to capture the title. Al-Ahli can put the goal in the net. They have notched up a respectable 14 goals in the championship, three against Sfaxien, and five altogether in foreign lands, including one against ASEC of the Ivory Coast, the first goal conceded by ASEC at home in six games.
Despite Al-Ahli's depleted state, they still have Mohamed Abu Treika and Emad Meteb who between them have scored 12 times. The question is whether the club's young charges, substituting for the big boys, can show enough poise and be useful aides.
Al-Ahli must also grapple with a history not kind to those in the situation the club finds itself. Only two clubs have ever won the African Champions League twice in a row, DR Congo s TP Mazembe Englebert in 1968 and Nigeria s Enyimba two years ago. Though Zamalek hold the record of five crowns, never did two come in succession. The African cup has gone Al-Ahli's way four times, but again Al-Ahli has never been able to put together more than a one-season winning streak.
Al-Ahli must also enter the return match knowing that in the past 40 African Champion League finals, only four clubs have been in a similar predicament but beat the odds and conquered the continent.
Meanwhile, Sfaxien are one step away from taking their first African Champions League, and are loving every minute of it. They surpassed even their own expectations by reaching their first Champions League final and now find themselves in the unaccustomed role of favorites.
Sfaxien are far from being the biggest or most popular club in Tunisia. That description fits Esperance, Club Africain and Etoile du Sahel. Sfaxien are provincial, akin to Mehalla here in Egypt. That Sfaxien is often in the backseat of Tunisian football has, if anything, galvanized the team. So dwarfed are they in their homeland, that being so close to becoming Africa s best is proving to be a tremendous incentive.
It also helps that Sfaxien became the first side to beat Al-Ahli on African soil in more than two years when they triumphed 1-0 in the group phase of the competition. And two weeks ago, Sfaxien's ability to come from a goal down to tie with Al-Ahli in front of 80,000 opposing fans was evidence of what they can do.
Conclusion: We hate to say it, but Sfaxien will be drinking the bubbly tonight. Every Sfaxien has his day and that day is tonight. Of course, and not for the first time, we could be wrong.


Clic here to read the story from its source.