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Egypt's handball team will try to remain among the world's top five nations. Inas Mazhar assesses whether the squad can pull it off
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Marwan Ragab, soon to play in his fifth world championship, breaks the Saudi defence to help Egypt win 26-19
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Coming off a disappointing year, Egypt will attempt to begin a new chapter at the world handball championships in Portugal which start on Monday.
Egypt ended up a respectable fourth in the world championships in France in 2001 but took a dip last year after failing to defend its African title, then finished a dismal seventh in the World Cup in Sweden in October.
In Portugal, Egypt's attempt to regroup rests mightily on its debut which is already being billed as a make-or- break encounter, coming as it does against former world champions and currently the No 1 European country, Sweden. After that obstacle, Egypt will take on Algeria, bronze winners at the African championship in Morocco. Then comes Slovenia, followed by Denmark and Brazil. The South Americans are expected to be the easiest of Egypt's opponents.
Egypt plays in Group D in the 24-team, 15-day tournament which has been divided into four groups of six teams each. Group A includes African champions Tunisia, Spain, Yugoslavia, Kuwait, Morocco and Poland. Group B comprises Germany, Iceland, host-nation Portugal, Qatar, Austria and Greenland. World champions France, Russia, Croatia, Saudi Arabia, Hungary and Argentina make up Group C.
The preliminary games are distributed in four cities: Group A is in Guimaraes, Group B in Viseu, Group C in Madeira and Group D in Sao Joao de Madeira.
The second round starts 29 January.
In preparation for the championship, Egypt underwent intensive training and played several games at the national and club level in Yugoslavia, France and Denmark. Denmark was Egypt's last stop where it participated in a four-team, three-day international championship. Yugoslav head coach Zoran Ezanovich left out eight key players in order not to give away all his game plans, noting that the Danes are in Egypt's group. The players left behind stayed in shape under the supervision of assistant coach Mohamed El-Alfi.
Another warm-up for the team came in the way of the 7th Al-Ahram Handball Championship held two weeks ago in Cairo and which Egypt won handily. The event was for the first time an all-Arab affair which weakened it considerably. Egypt won its three matches against Qatar, the junior Egyptian team and Saudi Arabia.
Following the championship, 29 players were tried out; 18 were selected to go to Portugal.
Team captain Gohar Nabil is back in the line-up after being given the cold shoulder by head coach Yugoslav Zoran Ezanovich. Both are reportedly back on speaking terms after a dispute over playing time. Nabil is one of the world's best pivots and his absence has been felt.
