CAIRO: Zamalek manager Henri Michel hit out at predecessor Manuel Cajuda, accusing him of failing to prepare the players physically for such a long season. Michel told FilGoal.com that he is not used to criticizing his predecessors but the players disappointing form can only be blamed on the Portuguese. The veteran French coach said that …

African champions Al Ahly lost their 30-month unbeaten domestic record on Sunday, emphatically beaten 3-0 by Ismaili in the Egyptian premier league. It was the first defeat for Al Ahly in Egypt since they lost the Egyptian Cup final to Arab Contractors in July 2004. Their last league loss was against arch rivals Zamalek in …

Cairo: Ahmed Hassan lofted a superb lob home after the break to mark a rare start and lead Ahly to a 1-0 victory over Tanta in the Egyptian League on Wednesday. Hassan, who played to cover the absence of starting midfielders Mohamed Shawki and Hossam Ashour, scored the winner in the 70th minute. Islam Al-Shater …

CAIRO: Henri Michel s debut with Zamalek was foiled by Ghazl Mahalla after a goalless draw in the Egyptian League on Wednesday. Zamalek s hopes of competing for the league title faded as the result put them in third place of the table with 30 points, a massive 11 points behind leaders Ahly who still …

Cairo: Egyptian midfielder Hossam Ghaly lost four teeth in a collision with Portsmouth defender Noe Pamarot during their 1-1 draw in the Premiership. Ghaly wasn t even awarded a foul and Tottenham manager Martin Jol was left fuming over the challenge. I asked the referee and he said it wasn t a foul but when …

Cairo: Egypt and Ismaili defender Ahmed Fathi is set to join Premiership side Sheffield United during January for 700,000 sterling pounds (just under LE 8 million), the coastal club said. Ismaili vice president Ibrahim Ashour told FilGoal.com on Monday that the club accepted the English offer because Fathi was keen on moving to Europe. Sheffield …

JOHANNESBURG: Egypt s Al Ahly will meet Tunisia s Etoile Sahel in Africa s Super Cup in Khartoum, Sudan on Feb. 18 after officials broke with the tradition of allowing the African Champions League winners host the match. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) want the Super Cup to form part of their 50th anniversary …

Cairo: Zamalek striker Amr Zaki missed his side s training on Monday, two days ahead of the Mahalla game in the Egyptian League. Ibrahim Saied, Mostafa Gaafar, Magdi Atwa and Tamer Abdul-Wahab also didn t take part in the practice. Ahmed Abdullah, Zamalek s team director said Zaki and Saied met with coach Mahmoud Saad …

Cairo: No one can deny that Ronaldinho is the best player in the world. The Brazilian’s talent speaks for itself, as does the host of prestigious awards that he has under his belt, but the FIFA Club World Cup Bronze Ball should not have been one of them. The fact that Barcelona’s playmaker received the …

Cairo: Angolan striker Flavio notched twice on his birthday to lead title holders Ahli to a 2-1 victory over arch-rivals Zamalek in the Egyptian League on Saturday. Ahli went to the lockers room with a two-goal lead through the in-form striker before substitute Osama Hassan pulled one back for Zamalek 11 minutes after the interval. …

CAIRO: Rivals Al Ahly and Zamalek clash on Saturday in the traditional Egyptian derby, the last major event of a busy year for African football. The derby is expected to bring a capacity 70,000 crowd to the Cairo International stadium, but the 128th meeting between the two Cairo clubs comes at a time of contrasting …

CAIRO: Mostafa Gaafar notched home late in the second-half to help Zamalek register a hard-fought 3-2 home victory over Harras Al-Hodoud in a thrilling Egyptian League match on Tuesday. Al-Hodoud came from a two-goal deficit to level the score through Mohamed Halim and Hani Saied after Tarek Al-Sayed and Youssef Hamdi put Zamalek initially ahead. …

CAIRO: Emad Meteb struck deep in stoppage time to give 10-man Ahly a stunning 2-1 win over ENPPI in the Egyptian league on Tuesday. Meteb chested down Flavio Amado s header in the area before sidestepping his marker and firing a brilliant close-range volley past stranded ENPPI keeper Mostafa Kamal. The win extended Ahly s …

Cajuda’s, Ramzi’s efforts appreciated, says Zamalek chairman CAIRO: French manager Henri Michel said on Tuesday he is excited about his new job as Zamalek manager, stressing that with work and dedication the team can get back of the winning track. I have been excited since talks started with Zamalek started because they have an ambitious …

Zamalek club midfielder Mohamed Aboul-Ella was left out of his side s squad for Harras Al-Hodoud game in the Egyptian League on Tuesday due to injury, the club said. Aboul-Ella suffers hamstring problems but he is likely to link up with his team mates before the Cairo derby against Ahly on Saturday. Rumors in the …

CAIRO: Ahly is objecting to the Egyptian Football Federations’ decision to limit teams to 25 players starting next season. The decision is wrong and can’t be applied immediately, club officials said. A club source told FilGoal.com on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to talk to media that Ahly will request a transition …

CAIRO: Kuwaiti club Qadsia s Mousaed Nada heaped more misery on already-under-pressure Zamalek when he scored twice to hand the beleaguered club a 2-1 defeat in the Arab Champions League on Wednesday. Nada curled two venomous free-kicks on both sides of the interval to cancel out Amr Zaki s opener for Zamalek and send the …

Zamelek, Ismaili lost without coaches? Ahly superstar Mohamed Aboutrika heaped praise on coach Manuel Jose and said the Portuguese is the main reason behind his improvement over the past few years. He said in a televised interview in Cairo after leading his side to third place in the FIFA Club World Cup in Japan that …

Yokohama: Manuel Jose said the team he manages, Al-Ahly are now capable of playing at the highest levels after they clinched the bronze medal in the 2006 Fifa Club World Cup at the expense of Mexico s Club America on Sunday. I m very delighted; I dedicate this win to all Ahly and Egyptian fans. …

CAIRO: Helmi Toulan won t be Zamalek s new manager as both sides failed to strike a deal on Saturday, the Cairo side said. Portuguese manager Manuel Cajuda was sacked after Zamalek lost 2-0 to Masri in the Egyptian League on Friday. Their third defeat of the season almost put them out of the title …

A double salvo from Mohamed Abou-Treika helped Ahli edge Mexico s Club America with a 2-1 victory on Sunday to clinch the bronze medal in the 2006 FIFA Club World Cup. The Egypt international put Ahli ahead three minutes before the interval with a trademark free-kick before Salvador Cabanas leveled the score on the hour. …

But coach could be in hot water Zamalek coach Manuel Cajuda said he is confident his team will qualify to the semi-finals of the Arab Champions League (ACL) despite the disappointing 2-2 draw against Ahli Bordj of Algeria in Cairo on Sunday. The Egyptian football giants showed some dismal form and twice squandered the lead …

Zamalek young striker Hossam Osama is set to take part in his side s Arab champions League (ACL) game against Ahli Bordj on Monday. The Cairo side submitted a request to the Olympic national team coaching staff to drop Osama from the training camp due this week. The 21-year-old forward scored twice during Zamalek s …

Ismaili crashed out of the Arab Champions League (ACL) after losing 5-3 on penalties against Ahli Bordj on Sunday while the Al-Ahli club finalized their squad for the Japan 2006 Fifa Club World Cup (CWC). The second leg of Ismaili’s game in Cairo ended in a goalless draw, a result similar to the first match …

Abdul-Wahab testimony turns into goal festival By Ahmad Saied Tens of thousands of Egyptians packed the Military Academy Stadium on Wednesday to bid farewell to Al Ahli s late star Mohamed Abdul Wahab, whose testimonial game turned into a goal-festival. Supporters for different Egyptian clubs attended the testimonial, carrying giant photos of Abdul Wahab and …

Tanta stadium given the clearance By Amro Hassan Gharbeya governorate approved holding the Tanta-Mahalla game at Tanta club stadium in the third week of the Egyptian League. Following a meeting between Gharbeya governor and security officials in the city, Tanta have been given the clearance to play their home League games at the Tanta stadium. …