March 29, 2009
What: 2010 World Cup And Africa Cup of Nations qualifier
Who: Egypt Vs. Zambia
When: Sunday, March 29, (17:30 GMT)
Where: Cairo International Stadium
No Excuses For African Champions
Tough times for Egypt could be coming to an end. The last time the Pharoahs played at the World Cup was at Italia ’90, but their impressive form in the last four years suggests they ought to return to the big stage.
The six-time African champions have only themselves to blame should they fail to land in South Africa. No doubt, they are the best team in Africa based on what they have achieved at the last two Nations Cups.
Expectedly, they topped their second round qualifying section, losing just once in Malawi, to finish on 15 points from six matches.
‘Master’ Hassan Shehata has kept a strong rein on the team, both on and off the pitch. They are a stable and compact squad as most of the players have been together for several years.
In defence are Ahly’s Wael Gomaa as well as Switzerland-based goalkeeper Essam El-Hadary while the midfield boasts the Ahly trio of Mohamed Aboutrika, Mohamed Barakat and Ahmed Hassan.
Aboutrika has battled injuries since last year, but even then he remains both a creator and scorer of goals for club and country.
Wigan strikers Amr Zaki and Ahmed ‘Mido’ Hassan have proved they can score at the highest level, as has Borussia Dortmund’s Mohammed Zidan.
Shehata though had his misgivings with the forward line when they were held to a 2-2 draw by Ghana in Cairo last month.
Is Zambian Football On The Rise Again?
Zambia finished third at the inaugural Championship of African Nations in the Ivory Coast earlier this month. This team from players featuring in the domestic league were dubbed ‘Dream Team” as expectations shot to new heights ahead of the country’s quest to feature at their first-ever World Cup.
One of the heroes of that outing in Abidjan was French coach, Herve Renard, whose future has been a talking point, before and after the tournament.
A physical trainer with Ghana at the last Nations Cup, Renard has been outspoken about the need for football in Zambia to be more professionally managed.
He has insisted though that despite interest from Ivorian club Asec Mimosas and Senegal, he will see through his contract, which ends in June 2010.
He has equally predicted a tough match against Egypt in Cairo.
“It would be a difficult to win in Egypt, of course, it will not be easy to win in Cairo because even Cameroon and Nigeria find it difficult to win in Cairo, so even for us it will be very difficult but we need to be confident, and then, may be, we can win or why go there?”
Generally, soccer in Zambia has fallen below expectations and their best record still remains playing in the Africa Cup of Nations final in 1994.
To get to the third round, they finished top of Group 11. The Chipolopolo managed to garner seven points in a three-team group as Eritrea pulled out due to poor finances.
They are largely inspired by the Katongo brother – Christopher and Felix – who play in Germany and France, respectively.
They only scored two goals in the second round and the red-hot Katongo brothers accounted for both goals. They topped the table ahead of second-placed Togo, against whom they lost one of their games.
FORM GUIDE
Egypt
September 9: DR Congo 0-1 Egypt
October 10: Egypt 4-0 Djibouti
November 19: Egypt 5-1 Benin
January 23: Egypt 1-0 Kenya
February 11: Egypt 2-2 Ghana
ZambiaNovember 19: Morocco 3-0 Zambia
December 31: Zambia 3-0 Djibouti
January 2: Kenya 0-0 Zambia
January 4: Zambia 1-1 Burundi
January 8: Zambia 0-2 Sudan
February 23: Ivory Coast 0-3 Zambia
February 28: Zambia 1-1 Tanzania
March 9: Zambia 2-1 Senegal
Egypt
For the second game running, Zamalek’s talented winger Mahmoud Abdul-Razek aka Shikabala has been overlooked while Shehata has also left out Hossam Ghaly after his recent departure from English Premier League club Tottemham Hotspur.
Possible Starting XI: Essam El-Hadary – Fathallah, Gomaa, Hani Saied, Ahmed Al-Sayed – Ahmed Hassan, Mohamed Barakat, Aboutrika, Shawky – Zaki, Zidan.
Zambia
France based striker Jacob Mulenga is posed to get a nod ahead of Given Singuluma, who shone at the CHAN, has been preferred to the more established Collins Mbesuma, because Renard demands a striker who can attack and defend in Cairo.
In a five man midfield, Renard is expected to deploy the Katongo brothers with Francis Kasonde, William Njobvu and Rainford Kalaba in the central midfield trinity though South African based midfielder Noah Chivuta or Misheck Lungu might just claim a starting berth.
_______________Mweene_________________
Nyambe________Dennis. Banda_____Chintu______Mbola
___________________Kasonde___________________
Chris_______Njobvu____________Kalaba_______Felix
___________Jacob Mulenga_____________
Subs: Kakonje, Lungu, Musonda, Fwayo, Singuluma, Mayuka, Chivuta
In defence, Nyambe Mulenga, Dennis Banda and Emmanuel Mbola are poised to start but will it be Joseph Musonda or Chintu Kampamba getting the nod?
Clifford Mulenga, who is reportedly on his way to top South African club Orlando Pirates soon after reviving his career at another South African club, Thanda Royal Zulu, was also not picked for this encounter.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Egypt
Ahmed Hassan – The most experienced player in the fold and now closing in on his 150th cap for the Pharoahs. Well worth a look.
Zambia
Chris Katongo – This officer in the Zambian Army is the leader of the Copper Bullets, always leading by example. He scored an 88th minute equaliser when the two teams clashed last year January at the Nations Cup.
If the staff sergeant plays like the way stephen Appiah played at the 2006 World Cup for Ghana then the Chipolopolowill stun the Pharaohs.
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