African champions Ahli have decided on December 2nd as a date for the team to travel to Japan for the 2006 FIFA Club World Cup (CWC), assistant coach Hossam Al-Badri said on Monday. Ahli's officials discussed on Monday the travel arrangements for the team, keeping in mind that the players need to arrive in Tokyo as early as possible to adapt to the difference in time zones between Japan and Egypt. Al-Badri confirmed to reporters that the team will set-up an exhibition game before the Ahli's curtain raiser against Auckland City on December 10th. Ahli's travel arrangements mean that the team will play three league games before beginning their intercontinental campaign. The Egyptian champions take on Al-Gaish in the 12th round of the Egyptian league on Thursday.
Samaka Ahli will then face Suez Cement on November 27th and Olympic Alexandria on December 1st, which are two postponed games. On the other hand, Al-Badri said that Ahli will not send a second appeal to CAF regarding the positive doping test sample for midfielder Amr Fathi 'Samaka'. FilGoal.com has learned from a insider source that Samaka's results came out positive for 'recreational' drugs and not 'performance enhancing' drugs, which explains why CAF only handed the player a six-month ban instead of the usual one year ban. The player had to undergo two doping tests after Ahli's African Champions League match with JS Kabylie and both turned out positive. Based on the results, the African champions are considering selling the former Tersana player during the winter transfer window. Ahli veterans clash in training
