CAIRO: Egypt assistant coach Shawki Gharib still holds out hope that influential duo Mohamed Abou-Trika and Amr Zaki will be able to feature for the Pharaohs in the 2010 African Cup of Nations (CAN). Playmaker Abou-Trika suffered in November a serious foot injury that is expected to keep him on the sidelines till after the continental competition. On the other hand, Zamalek announced on Monday that marksman Zaki will be out of action for up to six weeks in order to recover from a hamstring tear. However, Gharib assured that Egypt s technical staff received no medical reports confirming that both players would be unavailable for Egypt s CAN campaign through injury. We haven t received medical reports ruling out any player of the competition, including Abou-Trika and Zaki, he told Modern TV. Egypt s coaching staff are set to name their squad for the African Cup of Nations on Dec. 21. Four goalies will be chosen as well as 24 players, Gharib added Egypt, who won back-to-back CAN titles in 2006 and 2008, will play a warm-up game either on Dec. 29 or 30. The other team are yet to be determined. Their preparation camp will be held in UAE for around a week starting Jan.1.
