CAIRO - Diaa el-Sayyed, the general coach of Egypt's senior football team, said that they have learnt a lot from the United Arab Emirates preparation camp, stressing that the coaching staff are now putting the basic line-up of the team together. One of the most important achievements is the synchronisation between Emad Mete'ab and Mohamed Nagy 'Geddo'. "The squad will include four Olympic national team players – Ahmed Hegazi, Ahmed Shenawi, Mohamed Salah and Mohamed el-Nini," el-Sayyed added in televised remarks after the Iraq friendly on Tuesday night. The Pharaohs ended their training camp in the UAE with a goalless draw against Iraq. The Pharaohs held a preparation camp in Dubai from 10th to 18th April, during which they played three friendlies against Nigeria, Mauritania and Iraq. After the Mauritania friendly in Dubai, el-Sayyed told reporters that the coaching staff have already decided on 90 per cent of the squad, stressing that the final line-up for forthcoming official matches will have been fixed by 1st May. He explained that the unusual conditions in the country in the wake of the Port Said tragedy, that led to the cancellation of the Premier League, have pushed the coaching staff to hold preparation camps and play friendlies in Qatar, Sudan and the UAE. The ex-Ahly star has asked the security authorities to determine soon where the national team will play two matches in June – a 2013 ACN qualifier and a 2014 World Cup qualifier. He also wants to know whether these matches will be played here or abroad. "I hope that the security authorities will swiftly decide which stadiums will host these two matches," el-Sayyed told Melody Sports TV channel, adding that he hopes that the two games will be played at home in the presence of the fans. Egypt have been drawn in Group G alongside Guinea, Zimbabwe and Mozambique for the World Cup qualifiers. The Egyptian senior team will start their 2014 World Cup qualifiers in June by hosting Mozambique. A week later, they will play their second game in the group against Guinea away from home, before facing Central Africa in the 2013 ACN qualifiers in mid-June. "If the two home matches are played at home, it would be difficult to do so without the fans, especially as both fixtures are very important," he explained. El-Sayyed pointed out that, if the security authorities refuse to let the Pharaohs play the two encounters at home, there are alternative countries that would host the Pharaohs' games against Central Africa and Mozambique in June. He told Al-Hayat TV channel that the time of the team's next preparation camp has yet to be decided, although it could be in Turkey. But he did explain that there will another preparation camp from mid-May until 1st June, that will include Al-Ahly, Zamalek and Enppi players and the other key national players. Bob Bradley, the technical coach of Egypt's senior football team, said that Tuesday's friendly against Iraq was useful, praising the opponents. Prior to that, he had expressed his dissatisfaction with his team's performance against Mauritania in a friendly game in Dubai, although the team won 3-0, thanks to two goals from striker Mohamed Naggi 'Geddo' and another from Emad Mete'ab. Prior to that, they grabbed an exciting 3-2 win over Nigeria last Thursday, thanks to goals from striker Ahmed Temsah, Mohamed Abou Treika and Ahmed Hassan 'Mekki', while Sunday Mba and Uche Kalu netted for the Super Eagles. Abou Treika's goal against Nigeria puts him among the world's top scorers this year. He has scored four goals in three matches: two with his team Al-Ahly against Ethiopian Coffee in the ACL, another one for the Pharaohs against Uganda and finally the goal against Nigeria in Dubai. Abu Treika is in 19th place in the list of the world's top scorers in international matches for 2012. Barcelona's Lionel Messi is top with 11 goals, followed by Dutch striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, in second place with nine goals.
