Arab Champions League?
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Arab Champions League?
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Zamalek falter in Arab league
Thursday, January 01, 2004
Zamalek of Egypt surrendered their perfect record in the Arab Champions League as USM Blida of Algeria snatched a late 1-1 draw at the weekend. The Cairo-based White Knights had been expected to win their third Group C match in a row after convincing victories away to CS Sfaxien and at home to another Tunisian club, Esperance. But a well-drilled Blida defence survived for 55 minutes before Sameh Youssef put the five-time African Champions League winners in front and seemingly on their way to another three points.
Zamelek withdrew captain and midfielder Hazem Emam believing Blida posed little threat only to be caught flatfooted seven minutes from full-time when Ismail Diss snatched a spectacular equaliser. The result lifted Zamalek to seven points in the inaugural edition of a competition offering a two-million-dollar first prize. Esperance have six, Blida two and CS Sfaxien one. Injury-plagued striker Ali Zitouni scored a rare goal just before half-time to give Esperance a 1-0 victory over Sfaxien in a match switched to Kairouan as the stadium in Sfax is being upgraded for the 2004 African Nations Cup.
Tempers boiled at the slightest provocation and the Iraqi referee showed the first of two red cards after 33 minutes when Amir Moussaoud of Sfaxien was sent off for fouling Skander Souayah. The lone goal came when Zitouni reacted quickest in a goalmouth scramble after goalkeeper Fadel Khaled parried a shot from Riadh Jelassi, a former member of the Tunisian national squad. Midfielder Souayah is no stranger to trouble and got his marching orders near the end for elbowing an opponent in a match that did nothing to enhance the reputation of the competition. African Champions League runners-up Ismailia of Egypt edged NA Hussein Dey of Algeria 1-0 in a top-of-the-table Group D clash with the winner coming from Mohamed Younes in the 33rd minute. Younes soared above the goalkeeper to head in a free kick as the local club won their second successive home fixture after opening a six-match campaign with a 1-1 draw against Etoile Sahel in Tunisia. Ismailia lacked prolific scorer Dramane Traore, who has been called up by Mali for the Nations Cup, and usually reliable Mohsen Abougreisha squandered several clearcut chances created by Mohamed Hommos and Mohamed Abdullah. Hussein Dey became more adventurous in the second half with substitute Yasser Hamza regularly troubling an Ismailia defence well marshalled by captain Emad al-Nahas. Etoile Sahel and Al-Ahly of Egypt, who have won 13 African titles between them, drew 0-0 in the Mediterranean town of Sousse and prop up the table with two points each. Ismailia have seven and Hussein Dey four at the halfway stage. Ahly, who are struggling in the national championship, showed little appetite for attack during the first half and created just one chance that Ahmed Bilal wasted after a mistake by Etoile captain Zoubier Baya.
Ivorian Brahima Kone and Baya drove the African Cup Winners Cup title holders forward in search of a second-half winner, but suspended Nigerian striker Okochukwu Obiakor was sorely missed. The other two pools consist of Middle East clubs with Al-Hilal topping Group A on goal difference from another Saudi Arabian club, Al-Ahly, while Talaba of Iraq lead Group B, one point ahead of a Kuwaiti club named after the country.
I do not understand what the purpose of the tournament is. From the report the teams mentioned played in the ACL, CAF, and Cup winners cup. I can understand the COSAFA tournament since the countries involved have been getting bounced from the continental championships early, but this is too much soccer for the North Africans.
Four weeks from now these chaps will be expected to go out and give 100% in the Nations cup. I will expecting to see the effects of fatigue in key players. Good for us I guess
Zamalek falter in Arab league
Thursday, January 01, 2004
Zamalek of Egypt surrendered their perfect record in the Arab Champions League as USM Blida of Algeria snatched a late 1-1 draw at the weekend. The Cairo-based White Knights had been expected to win their third Group C match in a row after convincing victories away to CS Sfaxien and at home to another Tunisian club, Esperance. But a well-drilled Blida defence survived for 55 minutes before Sameh Youssef put the five-time African Champions League winners in front and seemingly on their way to another three points.
Zamelek withdrew captain and midfielder Hazem Emam believing Blida posed little threat only to be caught flatfooted seven minutes from full-time when Ismail Diss snatched a spectacular equaliser. The result lifted Zamalek to seven points in the inaugural edition of a competition offering a two-million-dollar first prize. Esperance have six, Blida two and CS Sfaxien one. Injury-plagued striker Ali Zitouni scored a rare goal just before half-time to give Esperance a 1-0 victory over Sfaxien in a match switched to Kairouan as the stadium in Sfax is being upgraded for the 2004 African Nations Cup.
Tempers boiled at the slightest provocation and the Iraqi referee showed the first of two red cards after 33 minutes when Amir Moussaoud of Sfaxien was sent off for fouling Skander Souayah. The lone goal came when Zitouni reacted quickest in a goalmouth scramble after goalkeeper Fadel Khaled parried a shot from Riadh Jelassi, a former member of the Tunisian national squad. Midfielder Souayah is no stranger to trouble and got his marching orders near the end for elbowing an opponent in a match that did nothing to enhance the reputation of the competition. African Champions League runners-up Ismailia of Egypt edged NA Hussein Dey of Algeria 1-0 in a top-of-the-table Group D clash with the winner coming from Mohamed Younes in the 33rd minute. Younes soared above the goalkeeper to head in a free kick as the local club won their second successive home fixture after opening a six-match campaign with a 1-1 draw against Etoile Sahel in Tunisia. Ismailia lacked prolific scorer Dramane Traore, who has been called up by Mali for the Nations Cup, and usually reliable Mohsen Abougreisha squandered several clearcut chances created by Mohamed Hommos and Mohamed Abdullah. Hussein Dey became more adventurous in the second half with substitute Yasser Hamza regularly troubling an Ismailia defence well marshalled by captain Emad al-Nahas. Etoile Sahel and Al-Ahly of Egypt, who have won 13 African titles between them, drew 0-0 in the Mediterranean town of Sousse and prop up the table with two points each. Ismailia have seven and Hussein Dey four at the halfway stage. Ahly, who are struggling in the national championship, showed little appetite for attack during the first half and created just one chance that Ahmed Bilal wasted after a mistake by Etoile captain Zoubier Baya.
Ivorian Brahima Kone and Baya drove the African Cup Winners Cup title holders forward in search of a second-half winner, but suspended Nigerian striker Okochukwu Obiakor was sorely missed. The other two pools consist of Middle East clubs with Al-Hilal topping Group A on goal difference from another Saudi Arabian club, Al-Ahly, while Talaba of Iraq lead Group B, one point ahead of a Kuwaiti club named after the country.
I do not understand what the purpose of the tournament is. From the report the teams mentioned played in the ACL, CAF, and Cup winners cup. I can understand the COSAFA tournament since the countries involved have been getting bounced from the continental championships early, but this is too much soccer for the North Africans.
Four weeks from now these chaps will be expected to go out and give 100% in the Nations cup. I will expecting to see the effects of fatigue in key players. Good for us I guess