CAIRO - Greece defeated Egypt 3-2 in the final of the Embassies Quintets Premier League, held at the Sports Development Centre in Heliopolis. The Arab League team came in third place after defeating France 4-2. The match was played at a feverish pace, much to the delight of the spectators, as the Greek team snatched a win in the last seconds of the match. The Minister of Sports honoured the ambassadors of the countries of the teams that participated in the tournament, as well as the top three teams. Wael el-Desoki of the Arab League team won the award for the best goalkeeper in the tournament, while Greece's Osman Ayed was honoured for being the top scorer and Egypt's midfielder Karim Saber was chosen as the best player. "The Embassies League reflects Egypt's leading role in the Middle East," Minister Farouq stressed. "Such sporting events allow people to enjoy an exciting competition, as well as encouraging the exchange of experiences and cultures, strengthening their friendships and relationships. "This league is just the start and we are now working on boosting international sports in Egypt, with the help of the Egyptian Sport Federation for Diplomatic Missions [which is soon to be established]. "Our activities will also extend to other sports, not just football. This league will also boost relations at the diplomatic level," he explained. Group A included Palestine, Uganda, Sudan and Malaysia, while Group B comprised Egypt, Niger, South Sudan and the Comoros. Group C consisted of the Philippines, the Arab League, Zimbabwe and the Czech Republic, whereas Group D was composed of Burundi, Tanzania, Algeria and Indonesia. Group E was made up of South Africa, Spain and Libya. Group F contained Greece, Serbia and Vietnam, Group G listed Kazakhstan, France and Kuwait, and Group H consisted of Russia, England, Uzbekistan and Mauritius. The Embassies Quintets Premier League, organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and Ministry of Sports, promotes sport as a bridge for dialogue between different cultures, stressing peace, love and rejecting all forms of violence. The tournament aims at enhancing the friendly relations between diplomatic corps and their communities in Egypt, as well as highlighting the role of sports in fostering cultural dialogue among nations.
