ZIMBABWE vs. EGYPT Kickoff: 15.00 CLT World Cup African qualifiers Group G Venue: National Sports Stadium, Harare MATCH FACTS - Egypt are the only nation on a 100% winning record in the African qualifiers so far. -Since 2005, Zimbabwe have only lost one competetive home game out of 14, a 1-0 defeat to Guinea last year. -The Warriors conceded just six goals in their last 14 matches in Harare. -Egypt scored 15 goals in their last 11 competitive games, 13 of them in the second half. -Egypt's three goalkeepers Sherif Ekrami, Ahmed Al-Shennawi and Mohamed Sobhi have a total of two competitive games between them, while Zimbabwe's Washington Arubi has 13. -The oldest player of the Zimbabwe 11 that faced Egypt in Alexandria was Ocean Mushure (27), who is still younger than 10 players in Egypt's squad. -Egypt's last game in Harare was back in 1999 when Zamalek legend Hazem Emam scored their only goal in a 1-1 friendly draw against the Warriors. -Egypt netted a total of 23 goals in previous meetings against Zimbabwe... all goalscorers have either played for Ahli, Zamalek or Ismaili. -Knowledge Musona, who scored Zimbabwe's goal in last March's defeat, is the only Warriors player who has started every single qualifying match so far.
Egypt missing key man Abd-Rabou QUOTES Zimbabwe coach Klaus-Dieter Pagels "Egypt are not unbeatable. I think they expect us to be an attacking team which will not stay deep and they know we are not going to wait for them. "We watched the DVD of the match (against Egypt last March) this week again and we saw that in that match we only needed experience and lacked that from our young players. "But they will learn and this is the only way to learn and improve from these matches. All the players are really fighting, really engaged and it is a good situation for us." Egypt coach Bob Bradley "We just feel that they (Zimbabwe) are a good side, they work very hard, they put a lot of effort into it and they are well- coached, so we expect a difficult game. "We know that in the first leg Zimbabwe relied on the counter attacks and caused us some difficulties and that was how they scored the goal. So we understand their strengths and we will also adjust, but mostly we will stick to the things we know well. "We will beat Zimbabwe although it is going to be a very difficult match. We are serious about qualifying for the World Cup so we have left no stone unturned in preparing for Zimbabwe. Everyone knows that victory is very important for us." TEAM NEWS Egypt are without of a number of long-term absentees, with Geddo, Hossam Ghaly, Emad Meteb and Hosni Abd-Rabou all out injured, but Ahmed Hegazi is back after six months out. Zamalek trio Abdul-Wahed Al-Sayed, Nour Al-Sayed and Mohamed Abdul-Shafi were all injured during the build-up to the game as Mohamed Sobhi and Sabri Rahil were drafted in. After Abdul-Wahed's injury, Ahli's Ekrami is likely to be making his competitive debut for Egypt at the age of 30. On the other hand, Zimbabwe are sweating over star striker Musona, who sustained a hamstring problem just two days before the game.
