Egypt captain Ahmed Hassan is optimistic about Egypt's chances of reaching the 2010 World Cup after the Pharaohs were handed a relatively easy draw on Wednesday. The reigning African champions were seeded in Group C which included North African foes Algeria, Zambia and Rwanda. "It's a pretty balanced group," Hassan told FilGoal.com exclusively. "I believe Egypt's chances of finishing in first place and reaching the finals in South Africa are very high." The former Anderlecht was not only happy with the draw, but also with the match sequence.
Egypt kick-off their campaign at home against Zambia late in March, 2009 before traveling to face Algeria in the second round. The Pharaohs' final game will also be at home against Algeria. "I think to start our campaign and end it at home is a very good thing. This sequence is very good for us," he added. The six-time African Cup of Nations winners then take on minnows Rwanda in back to backup encounters, yet, Hassan believes the Central African side, known as 'The Wasps', should not be underestimated. "We failed to reach the World Cup finals on several occasions before because we could not beat weaker teams like Benin, Namibia and Liberia. "We have to be aware of compleancy against Zambia and Rwanda for sure," the Ahli midfielder added.
