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Al-Ahram Weekly 17 - 23 August 2000 Issue No. 495 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 17 - 23 August 2000 Issue No. 495
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Features Travel Living Sports Profile People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters Goals downpour
By Abeer AnwarIt was a great day for all Ismaili football fans, as once again the team rewrote their own history. Repeating their 1997 run to the title, Ismaili gave the governorate reason to light up its skies with sparkles and fireworks. After a long season of strenuous work and overall good play efforts, they earned their pay -- beating Zamalek 3-1 in the semi-final, to meet, and beat, Arab Contractors 4-0 in the final.
It wasn't always so sweet for the vibrant stars. After a number of humiliating losses in the first round of the league title, they were abandoned by Brazilian coach Joseph Ferrari. It took hard work, but the coming of Egyptian coach Mohsen Saleh brought with it good fortune -- catapulting the team into the top rank of local football.
"The key is the national coach," said Ismail Osman, head of Ismaili Club. "He understands his players well and knows how to use them in the different positions. He understands their physiology and the best proof of this is Ismaili clinching the cup." Indeed, they gave the 40,000 fans at Cairo Stadium -- which was covered in the Ismaili colours of orange and blue -- a thrill for the day, albeit a hard one since the two teams are friends.
Osman, who also heads the Arab Contractors Company, described the play as a "match between relatives." Despite the love, though, what it all came down to was coming out first.
The first half started with Arab Contractors having the upper hand as they depended on a super-strong defense line, thus preventing Ismaili players from scoring. Even John Ottaka -- Ismaili's top scorer and team star -- was strongly guarded, being stopped from reaching the net even once.
Ismaili celebrating their victory
photo: Mohamed Mos'ad
Ismaili -- in classic style -- started playing from the sides, trying to open gaps in the defense line of Arab Contractors. The trials, however, were futile. The result: a scoreless first half.
The second half was another story, as Mohsen Saleh, Ismaili's coach, pushed Mohamed Salah Abu Gresha instead of Ayman El-Gamal -- the latter being out of shape in the aftermath of an injury. That seemingly small change marked the starting point for Ismaili. Twelve minutes later, the spur of goals started.
Ottaka was able to escape his guard, scoring the first goal in the 57th minute of the match. A stream of goals followed directly after, as Mohamed Barakat scored in the 64th minute, Abu Gresha in the 67th and 70th.
Ismaili's goals came pouring, and their off-pitch friends were stunned; unable to retaliate in any shape or form. The result was a 25-minute finale of zoned-out Arab Contractor play, and an Ismaili team playing all out with nothing to lose. Both, unfortunately, to no real avail: the score remained deadlocked at 4-0.
At the end of the day, critics say that not only was referee Gamal El-Ghandour's work fair, but so too was Ismaili's outstanding win. Arab Contractors, however, deserve credit too, for eventually the two teams put the game behind them and walked off the pitch friends.
