Winter warm-ups
Egypt's recent football friendlies are slowly helping the team to deal with the challenges ahead. Nashwa Abdel-Tawab shows how the squad is shaping up
The Pharaohs dropped to an embarrassing 0-0 tie to a relatively young and inexperienced Ghanaian counterpart in Ismailia. Although there were a few tactical benefits to Sunday's game, with coach Mohsen Saleh standing on the quality of several players, the game was clearly a warning sign for both teams. Egypt should have done better against a significantly weaker side, but too much experimentation with players and game plans, as well as a lingering fear of an embarrassing loss, may have affected the quality of the game.
Saleh started with an unusual 3-6-1 formation with most of the offense coming in from the right flank headed by Sayed Abdel- Hafiz and Mohamed Barakat. By the 15th minute it was becoming evident that they were setting the tempo since none of them were being held back by Ghana's only professional on the team, Prince, who plays his soccer in Russia.
Meanwhile, the Egyptian defence kept the left flank in check most of the time as Tarek El-Sayed and Hani Said rarely advanced.
Hazem Emam miss-timed an excellent cross in from Said that could have otherwise been a spectacular goal for the little fox.
Hani Ramzi continued his excellent role in midfield, spearheading the attack on many occasions and providing defensive support when needed. Ramzi crossed in to striker Ahmed Belal in the 18th minute that found its way to El-Sayed in the penalty box. El-Sayed got in an excellent shot on goal but it went wide.
The Ghanaians resorted to rough play to thwart the mounting pressure. As a result, two were cautioned with yellow cards.
Abdel-Hafiz continued to provide inspirational play and linked up with Belal and Emam on several occasions.
The best scoring chance of the first half for either side came in the 40th minute when Ramzi's free kick caught the defence napping. Barakat went one-on-one with the keeper but lobbed inches over the bar.
Ramzi returned minutes later to spectacularly head in a Abdel- Hafiz cross just wide of goal from inside the six-yard box.
After 68 minutes, goalkeeper Abdel-Wahed El-Sayed saved the Pharaohs from a sure goal when he dived to save an excellent close-range header from substitute Eric Akun, clearly the game's best player.
The game died soon after with no clear scoring opportunities the rest of the way.
A week earlier, Egypt beat the United Arab Emirates 2-1 thanks to a last-minute goal. Abdel-Hafiz and Belal teamed up twice to score one goal apiece.
The game, played in the UAE, was held in honour of retiring Emirates striker Zuheir Bakhiet, who apparently decided to quit while ahead. As good as Bakhiet was though, his replacement Mohamed Omar, who came on in the second half, proved more than a handful for the Egyptian defence.
Abdel-Hafiz, who is making a comeback to the national team after a two-year hiatus due to injury, scored Egypt's go-ahead goal after only five minutes.
Later, Belal set up Abdel-Hafiz for an 18-yard scorcher that was deflected.
The offensive punch continued as Said sliced his way through to goal, rounded the goalkeeper in magnificent manner, got into scoring position but proved too slow as the UAE's Goma'a Hamad cleared the ball off the line.
Despite all of Egypt's attacking power, the UAE equalised five minutes into the second half through a free kick struck by Abdullah Ali who curled the ball past a packed but unorganised defence and keeper Essam El-Hadari.
Abdel-Hafiz did just enough in the last minute of stoppage time when he sent in a perfect cross to Belal who had no trouble heading in the winner, his fourth international goal since his recall in August.
Egypt next faces World Cup surprise Senegal and Denmark in two more friendlies next month in preparation for a crucial African Nations Cup qualifier against Mauritius. Egypt must win its final three games if it wants to qualify for the 2004 edition.
Saleh said he does not intend to add any new members to the current team; he has already used more than 50 players since taking over in the summer.
He said he had lost hope in getting Arsenal's Egyptian goalkeeper Rami Shaaban to mind the net because of the player's current injury.
