12 - 18 July 2001
Issue No.542
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Al-Ahram Weekly Online 12 - 18 July 2001 Issue No.542 |
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Military cup for keeps
Egypt bested Greece yet again to win the World Military Football Championship. Nashwa Abdel-Tawab reports on on a day deéjaà vu
Egypt did it again, beating Greece for the second time running to capture the 39th World Military Football Championship.
As President Hosni Mubarak looked on from the stands at the Military Academy Stadium and later handed out medals to the winners, Egypt, the defending champion, had little trouble dispensing with Greece 3-0 in a repeat of the 1999 final in Croatia. Then, the teams ended regulation time tied 3-3. Egypt eventually triumphed in the penalty shoot- out 5-4.
Friday's win in Cairo gave Egypt the cup for the third time and, as a result, it will keep it permanently.
Making its 20th appearance in the tournament, Egypt cruised to the final after beating Guinea 1-0, Cyprus 2-1, North Korea 2-1, Qatar 1-0 and Guinea again 3-0. "We were in good form and had stamina which enabled us to beat Greece," Egypt's coach Mohamed Omar said after victory. All three goals were scored by headers from Abdel-Hamid Bassiouni, who netted twice, and Ikrami Abdel-Aziz. Greece entered the final having allowed not one goal. It had also won the championship six times, second only to Italy's eight, and its 25 appearances in the event were the most of any team.
But coach Sergeant Ioakimidis Georgios, who led his team to one cup win in 1997 in Iran, admitted it was not his day. "We were not lucky enough today to win. Egypt was, for the second time, better than us," said Georgios.
Bassiouni was top goal-scorer with five goals. Compatriot Wael Gomaa was selected the best player. In allowing only two goals, Egypt's Essam Abdel-Azim was chosen the top goalkeeper.
In the tournament's 22 matches, 64 yellow cards were given, five red cards were flashed and two penalties were awarded. On the Egyptian team, only three were cautioned. Only one match, Syria against Guinea in the quarter- finals, went into extra time after a 1-1 draw.
The United States played only two matches, losing both, but was the only team not to have any of its players cautioned.
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