Naming names
National team football players have been selected for a crucial game against Mauritius. Inas Mazhar sees who's in and who's not
Head coach Mohsen Saleh has selected 25 players for the game against Mauritius in Cairo on 29 March. The match must be won by Egypt if it hopes to keep alive its chances of moving to the 2004 African Nations Cup in Tunisia.
Prior to the game, a friendly will be played against Qatar in Qatar, on 19 March, after which the number will be reduced to 20.
No spectators will be allowed to watch any training session. "It's off limits because we want to provide the players with a peaceful atmosphere with no pressure that might affect their concentration," said Hani Abu-Reida, supervisor of all Egyptian national teams.
Saleh said he was sure his side would not only qualify for the finals in Tunisia but would do so in style, beating Mauritius at home and away, as well as Mauritania in Cairo. Egypt has so far played one game, losing 1-0 to Mauritania.
The team's line up had some familiar faces missing: German- based Hani Ramzi, Medhat Abdel-Hadi and goalie Nader El-Sayed. "Nader is still suffering from what happened against Denmark," Saleh said, referring to a 5-1 defeat in a friendly last month. "Ramzi is not needed as a mid-field defender but as a libro but he did not prove himself in that position against Denmark. And Abdel-Hadi has a thigh injury."
Making a comeback is Ahli captain, defender Hani Khashaba, Ahli striker Ahmed Salah Hosni and Zamalek mid-fielder Tareq El- Said.
Saleh said that in training he would concentrate on developing fitness which, he added, is the squad's weak point, along with speed.
Goalkeepers: Essam El-Hadari, Abdel-Wahed El-Sayed and Essam Mahmoud.
Defenders: Hadi Khashaba, Emad El-Nahhas, Abdel-Zaher El-Saqqa, Shadi Mohamed, Amr El-Desouqi, Wael Gomaa, Beshir El-Tabei.
Mid-fielders: Sayed Abdel- Hafeez, Mohamed Barakat, Ahmed Hassan, Ahmed Fathi, Tareq El- Sayed, Mohamed Gouda, Sayed Moawed, Tareq El-Said, Mohamed Abdel-Wahed, Ayman Abdel-Aziz, Hossam Ghali, Hani Said.
Forwards: Ahmed Salah Hosni, Gamal Hamza, Abdel-Halim Ali.
