		Al-Ahram Weekly On-line 24 - 30 December 1998 Issue No.409
Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875		Current issue \| Previous issue \| Site map

Burying the hatchet

By Nashwa Abdel-Tawab

(Left) Egyptian striker Hossam Hassan scores for Egypt against South Africa, while (right) South African striker Benedict McCarthy is challenged by Egypt's Medhat Abdel-Hay during some friendly matches in Johannesburg
(photos: AFP)

Present and past champions of Africa clashed when South Africa hosted Egypt last week in the Nelson Mandela inauguration challenge friendly in Johannesburg. In Star National Bank Stadium, in front of their fans and president, former African champions South Africa came back from a 1-0 deficit to beat Egypt, the current champions, 2-1. More important than the friendly, the two football federations of north and south pledged to do what was necessary to bring the 2006 World Cup to Africa. An agreement signed between the heads of the South African and Egyptian football associations, said the 2006 World Cup should be held on the African continent. Both countries, among the top five soccer powers in Africa, have announced their intention to host the World Cup finals but have not officially applied. Other African bidders are Morocco and Ghana, who have formally requested what could become the first World Cup finals on African soil. England, Brazil and Germany are also in the hunt.

The friendly was a repeat of this year's African Nations Cup final which Egypt won 2-0 and a chance, of course, for some South African revenge. It was also one way of preparing Egypt for the Continents Cup starting in July, and getting South Africa ready for the African Nations Cup qualification rounds. "The game was tactically good and strong and very beneficial for the Egyptian team as it prepares for the Continents Cup," Egypt's coach Mahmoud El-Gohari said.

Although several big names who play abroad were not with the team, Egypt displayed good football savvy and would have come out with at least a draw had it not been for a porous back line missing key defenders. The German-based trio of Samir Kamouna, Hani Ramzi and Yasser Radwan were unavailable and their defensive skills were sorely missed. Goalkeeper Nader El-Sayed, striker Hazem Emam and Ahmed Hassan joined the team from their clubs in Belgium, Holland and Turkey hours before the match. Hossam Abdel-Moneim and Abdel-Zaher El-Saqqa, talented non-professionals, were also employed by El-Gohari.

South Africa called up five players who were in Ouagadougou: goalkeeper Brian Baloyi, defender Mark Fish, midfielder John Moeti and strikers Benni McCarthy and Philemon Masinga. English premiership commitments ruled out captain Lucas Radebe, a defender with Leeds United. McCarthy and Hossam Hassan, joint top goal scorers in the African Nations Cup, continued their scoring ways. Hassan netted Egypt's only goal, rifling a spectacular bicycle kick past Baloyi, but McCarthy struck back with two goals in each half to seal the victory.

It was the fourth meeting between the two with hosts South Africa winning a four-nations cup match three years ago and Egypt turning the tables in a 1996 Nations Cup group game.

The match, between two of the top five African nations, marked the start of a 16-month tenure for South African coach Trorr Moloto, who assisted Jomo Sono at the Nations Cup and Frenchman Philippe Troussier during the World Cup. "Although it was a friendly match," said Moloto, "it was, in my opinion, a battle between two coaches... The best coach was the one who put the best tactical plan for his team. The South Africans lost the last two games because the Egyptians had implemented the better plan. This victory will be the best gift to present to Nelson Mandela," who will resign from political life early next year.

Previous editions of the Mandela challenge have seen South Africa hold Argentina to a draw, narrowly lose to Brazil after leading by two goals at half-time and fall to Holland last year.