Al-Ahram Weekly Online   23 - 29 August 2007
Issue No. 859
Sports
 
Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875

Mido in Middlesbrough



AHMED "Mido" Hossam scored on his Middlesbrough debut to help the Premiership side beat Fulham 2-1 but was forced to limp off the pitch with a foot injury.

The visitors went down in the 16th minute to a Brian McBride goal but the Egyptian international striker levelled the score in the 55th minute when Fulham keeper Tony Warner made a dreadful error after failing to hold on to a relatively timid Mido shot.

Substitute Lee Cattermole poked home two minutes from time as Boro grabbed their first win in three games.

Mido lacked game fitness and did not join the team in their pre-season camp. He left the game with an injury in the 69th minute after his foot twisted while spinning around with the ball.

"He has given us presence as soon as he walked into the place and that's what I expected when I met him," Middlesbrough coach Gareth Southgate said.

Mido was warmly welcomed during the match by Boro fans and his name was frequently chanted throughout the game, especially with him testing the keeper a couple of times.

"Already you can see the crowd has warmed to him," Southgate said. "I thought his all-round performance, in the dressing room and everything, was excellent," he said. "He's a man, and you need that in your squad."

The officially £6 million transfer of the 24-year-old former Tottenham striker put an end to his transfer saga after being linked with Sunderland, Fulham and Birmingham.

Mido's contract with Boro is for four years

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