EGYPT are long overdue for a good run at the Olympics football tournament and hope Mohamed Aboutrika can be the catalyst for a medal-winning showing in London.
The Pharaohs have qualified 12 times without any gongs to show for their efforts with the best performances being fourth-place finishes in Amsterdam in 1928 and Mexico City 40 years later.
Aboutrika, a 33-year-old midfielder from famous Cairo club Al Ahly, will captain Egypt. Aboutrika, defender Ahmed Fathy and striker Emad Meteab are the three over-age players in the Under-23 squad.
Instead of his usual No22 shirt, Aboutrika will wear the No5 as a tribute to Zinedine Zidane, the former France star who is idolised by the Egyptian playmaker with a fondness for goals.
Egypt have a challenging first-round mission, which starts against tournament co-favourites Brazil in Cardiff on Thursday and continues against New Zealand in Manchester and Belarus in Glasgow.
Brazil, whose footballers have never won Olympic gold, are the obvious choice to top the table and who joins them in the quarterfinals could well be settled at Hampden Park on August 1 when Egypt meet Belarus.
"It is an honour for me to represent my country at such an important event," Aboutrika said. "I cannot turn down an invitation to play for the national team."
l Nigerian club Sunshine Stars got back into contention for a CAF Champions League semifinals place after holding Etoile Sahel 0-0 in Tunisia's Mediterranean resort Sousse at the weekend.
Stars, playing in the premier African club competition for the first time, made a disastrous start in Group A two weeks ago by losing 2-0 at home against defending champions Esperance of Tunisia.
Esperance lead the standings after matchday 2 with six points followed by Etoile with four and Sunshine with one while Chlef are without a point as the four teams pursue a top-two finish.
Esperance beat Chlef 3-2 and maintain their unbeaten record in the Champions League this year.
Egypt depend on Aboutrika
EGYPT are long overdue for a good run at the Olympics football tournament and hope Mohamed Aboutrika can be the catalyst for a medal-winning showing in London.
The Pharaohs have qualified 12 times without any gongs to show for their efforts with the best performances being fourth-place finishes in Amsterdam in 1928 and Mexico City 40 years later.
Aboutrika, a 33-year-old midfielder from famous Cairo club Al Ahly, will captain Egypt. Aboutrika, defender Ahmed Fathy and striker Emad Meteab are the three over-age players in the Under-23 squad.
Instead of his usual No22 shirt, Aboutrika will wear the No5 as a tribute to Zinedine Zidane, the former France star who is idolised by the Egyptian playmaker with a fondness for goals.
Egypt have a challenging first-round mission, which starts against tournament co-favourites Brazil in Cardiff on Thursday and continues against New Zealand in Manchester and Belarus in Glasgow.
Brazil, whose footballers have never won Olympic gold, are the obvious choice to top the table and who joins them in the quarterfinals could well be settled at Hampden Park on August 1 when Egypt meet Belarus.
"It is an honour for me to represent my country at such an important event," Aboutrika said. "I cannot turn down an invitation to play for the national team."
l Nigerian club Sunshine Stars got back into contention for a CAF Champions League semifinals place after holding Etoile Sahel 0-0 in Tunisia's Mediterranean resort Sousse at the weekend.
Stars, playing in the premier African club competition for the first time, made a disastrous start in Group A two weeks ago by losing 2-0 at home against defending champions Esperance of Tunisia.
Esperance lead the standings after matchday 2 with six points followed by Etoile with four and Sunshine with one while Chlef are without a point as the four teams pursue a top-two finish.
Esperance beat Chlef 3-2 and maintain their unbeaten record in the Champions League this year.
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