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Al-Ahram Weekly 13 - 19 May 1999 Issue No. 429 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 13 - 19 May 1999 Issue No. 429
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Profile Features Books Travel Living Sports People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters Foursome fight
By Inas MazharMansura, the Arab Contractors, Ismaili and Zamalek will vie for the Egyptian football cup after having stopped their opponents in the quarter-finals. In the semi-final stage, Zamalek will meet Mansura in Mansura while the Arab Contractors will play Ismaili in Ismailia. Both matches will be played on 21 May.
Mansura booked the first ticket to the semis with a 1-0 victory over Sharqiya in Mansura. The lone goal was scored after 25 minutes when Walid Abdel-Latif fired a low left-footed shot inside the penalty area. Referee Reda El-Beltagui was kept busy in the second half, flashing three red cards to Mansura's Abdel-Zaher El-Sakka and Sharqiya's Ayman Khalil and Ayman Shokri.
The hosts dominated the first half and lost several scoring chances which would have padded their lead. Sharqiya fought back with a few counter-attacks never translated into goals. Sharqiya took control of most of the second half and were close to an equaliser, but poor finishing saved Mansura's blushes.
Zamalek defender Hossam Abdel-Moneim surging past a Dina player
photo: Mohamed Wassim
The Arab Contractors advanced as well following a 1-0 defeat of Shams in a game overshadowed by the death of Osman Ahmed Osman, founder of the Contractors. The game's sole goal was scored in the 81st minute by Said Saad. The Contractors played to win from the start while Shams, a second division club, reverted to a massed defence in hopes of reaching the always unpredictable penalty kicks.
In Ismailia, Ismaili, distant cousins of the Contractors by dint of Osman having been Ismaili's president, finally got even with Kouroum, a mediocre Alexandria club which made a name for itself by beating the vastly more experienced Ismaili twice this year in league competition. Ismaili avenged the losses, beating Kouroum 4-3 on penalty kicks. The game had ended 1-1 in extra time. Kouroum had taken the lead in the 20th minute when Hamada Abdel-Aal's seemingly errant shot found its mark. A red card shown Kouroum's Yasser Farouk gave Ismaili the opening they needed, equalising through a close, reflex header by striker Mohamed Abu Greisha in the 52nd minute. In the spot kicks, Ismaili's imported goalkeeper, B D Jonesse from Benin, saved twice.
Zamalek, still licking its wounds from a sixth consecutive year sans the league crown plus an audacious walkout from its now infamous match against Ahli, drubbed Dina 5-1. Under the tutelage of Mahmoud Abu Regeila, the team's new head coach who replaced Farouk Gaafar in one of several shakeups that followed the walkout, Zamalek overwhelmed Dina, a club that had lost to Zamalek only 2-1 in league play just two weeks ago.
Zamalek opened the scoring in the 18th minute and never looked back, hardly giving Dina's goalkeeper Mohamed Abdel-Monsef, who ironically moves to Zamalek next year, time to scratch. Dina's consolation goal was scored in injury time.
