ALEXANDRIA: Newly-promoted Olympic announced on Tuesday that Alaa Nabil is the team s new head coach. Nabil, who was sacked by Arab Contractors only three days before the end of last season, succeeds Abdel Rahim Mohamed at the Alexandrian side. Former Zamalek coach Abdul-Rahim resigned after the end of last season, despite leading the team …

ALEXANDRIA: Ittihad put Youssef Hamdi, Mohamed Al-Yamani and Ahmed Hassan on the club’s transfer list. Manager Taha Basri confirmed that the players aren’t included in his future plans. The former ENPPI coach is reshuffling his squad and has already released seven players: Youssef Taher, Mohamed Sharaf, Wakil Salama, Saied Rabie, Daudu Alilu and Amr Al-Desouki. …

CAIRO: Arab Contractors have signed Ahly’s out-of-favor striker Reda Al-Weeshi, the Cairo giants announced on Sunday. “Al-Weeshi has been transferred to Arab Contractors but we inserted a clause allowing us to get him back after one year, Ahly’s marketing manager Adli Al-Qaeyi said. The Red Devils signed the 23-year old striker on a four-year deal …

CAIRO: Egypt manager Hassan Shehata has hailed his players performance following the 2-1 win over DR Congo in the World Cup qualifiers. I felt the pressure because we created a lot of chances in the first-half but we couldn t score, Shehata said. It could only become worse after their [Congo’s]goal, he told ART Sports. …

CAIRO: Amr Zaki and Ahmed Abdel-Malik of Egypt scored in the second half Sunday and Egypt rallied for a 2-1 win over Congo in the first round World Cup qualifying game. Congo dominated the first half and Herita Ilunga gave his team the lead in the 44th, getting the ball after a free kick to …

CAIRO: Egyptian Football Association chairman Samir Zaher was dismayed by chants aimed at keeper Essam Al-Hadari during the DR Congo game in the World Cup qualifiers. It was shameful, Zaher told FilGoal.com following the 2-1 victory on Sunday. They are supposed to be backing the team not insulting our players. Did they buy tickets and …

Amr Zaki is set to complete a one-year-loan move from Zamalek to Wigan Athletic, according the striker s agent Nader Shawki. Even though Zamalek chairman Mamdouh Abbas claimed recently that he will decide on Zaki s sale by the end of the month, the deal looks to be finished sooner than expected. Zamalek agreed to …

CAIRO: Egypt assistant coach Hamada Sedki implied that Hosni Abd-Rabou is ready to play against DR Congo on Sunday. Abd-Rabou s availability for the 2010 World Cup qualifier was uncertain amid the infamous Ismaili-Strasbourg transfer saga. However, it seems that Hassan Shehata has concerns over the CAN 2008 Player of the Tournament, who missed training …

Imagine you live in Iraq. Now imagine there are no sports in Iraq. Now you have an idea about how bad life can be in that country. Sports might not be the number one issue on the minds of Iraqis; just staying alive is probably of most concern. But the absence of sports, notably football, …

CAIRO: Abdel Halim Ali has announced that he is set to leave Zamalek after winning the Cup on Sunday. “It’s over now. I will leave the club to give a chance to the new figures, the Whites’ striker said after the game. However, the 34-year old striker confirmed that he won’t retire and that he …

SYDNEY: The United Arab Emirates will host the Club World Cup in 2009 and 2010 after beating off rival bids from Australia, Japan and Portugal, world governing body FIFA announced on Tuesday. FIFA president Sepp Blatter said the Club World Cup would return to Japan, which has hosted the revamped tournament since 2005, for 2011 …

CAIRO: Hamburg SV forward Mohamed Zidan has been ruled out of Egypt s 2010 World Cup African qualifier against DR Congo due to injury. Zidan has been suffering from pelvic pains and Egypt s technical staff has decided to give him time to rest and recuperate. The Hamburg ace left Egypt s camp in Alexandria …

CAIRO: Zamalek assistant coach Mohamed Helmi announced his resignation after the team clinched the Egyptian Cup title last Sunday. I preferred to resign after being subjected to fierce criticism during the past period, he said after the match. I was criticized by people within the club, which I did not appreciate. Nevertheless, Zamalek chairman Mamdouh …

ALEXANDRIA: Ittihad President Mohamed Mosselhi has revealed that he is trying to sign Ahly s striker Ahmed Belal. We made an enquiry and Ahly s officials put a LE 2 million price-tag for Belal, Mosselhi told FilGoal.com on Monday. We can t afford such a sum and I will ask for a loan-deal, added Mosselhi. …

ISMAILIA: Ismaili announced on Monday that the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has ruled in their favor in the contractual dispute with the French side Strasbourg over Hosni Abd-Rabou. A source inside the club told FilGoal.com that the 24-year old midfielder will remain with Ismaili and his contract with Strasbourg will be terminated. The …

CAIRO: Zamalek chairman Mamdouh Abbas stressed that Egyptian Cup champ Amr Zaki will not leave unless the club finds his replacement. The Egypt front-man, who led Zamalek to a priceless cup triumph after a three-season title drought, is a subject of interest from Premiership side Wigan Athletic. A Wigan representative has arrived in Cairo to …

CAIRO: Ahly made an offer to Palestine goalkeeper Ramzi Saleh, assistant coach Hossam Al-Badri said on Sunday. The Palestinian guardian will have a six-day trial with the club, Al-Badri told Modern Sport. The trial period, which will begin on June 1, will help us decide whether to proceed with the deal. Ahly s goalkeeping coach …

CAIRO: A stunning goal by Amr Zaki late in the game gave Zamalek the Egyptian Cup title after a 2-1 victory over ENPPI on Sunday as the Cairo giants ended their title drought. Zamalek went to the lockers room one up, thanks to a controversial penalty by Osama Hassan. Skipper Mohamed Younis drew ENPPI level …

CAIRO: Hamburg SV forward Mohamed Zidan has been ruled out of Egypt s 2010 World Cup African qualifier against DR Congo because of an injury. Zidan has been suffering from pelvic pains and Egypt s technical staff has decided to give him time to rest and recuperate. The Hamburg ace left Egypt s camp in …

CAIRO: Zamalek moved to strengthen their midfield after signing Arab Contractors duo Alaa Kamal and Mahmoud Samir on a four-year contract for an undisclosed fee. The arrival of Samir and Kamal will help Zamalek regain balance in midfield, Zamalek chairman Mamdouh Abbas told Al-Hayat channel late on Friday. Both players will be registered in Zamalek …

CAIRO: Henri Michel is considering an offer to become Zamalek s coach for another stint following the resignation of Ruud Krol, the French manager s agent said on Friday. Zamalek have offered Michel a monthly salary of ?40,000, Samir Al-Sayed told FilGoal.com. Michel has asked for some time to consider the offer and make a …

CAIRO: Most first-division teams have voiced reservations over Mahmoud Al-Gohari s proposal to introduce a new U-23 competition. The Football Association (FA) technical adviser Al-Gohari believed the new competition would give the opportunity to some players who don’t get enough exposures in their clubs. Top teams in Egypt such as Ahly and Zamalek repeatedly expel …

CAIRO: Reports in Germany suggested that Mohamed Zidan could be on his way to join Jurgen Klopp at Borussia Dortmund, following the latter s appointment as new head coach. German daily Bild stated that Klopp is eyeing his ex-favorite as he prepares for the new season at Signal Iduna Park. Klopp was in charge of …

This column has made a habit of making mildly famous wrong predictions. It is today’s marked objective to kick the habit by making the following forecast: An Egyptian team will win this year’s African Champions League.Why will this confident conjecture be any different from the rest? For one, Egypt is the only country fielding two …

CAIRO: Egyptian midfielder Ayman Abdel Aziz is on the verge of completing a swap move to Turkish giants Besiktas worth 3 million euros. “Besiktas tabled a ?2 million bid but Trabzon asked for 3 million and a player exchange, Abdel Aziz told FilGoal.com. The 30-year old player made a brilliant performance in the Turkish Super …

ALEXANDRIA: Ittihad chairman Mohamed Moselhi confirmed that coach Taha Basri has agreed to extend his stay with the Alexandria-based club. Basri s contract is due to end this summer, but Ittihad are not ready to give away the man who miraculously saved them from relegation. Basri will extend his contract. After what he achieved with …

CAIRO: Mohamed Abou Trika missed Thursday’s training session with Egypt because of a knee injury. The Ahly skipper is in rehabilitation and is set to resume full practice next week. Anderlecht midfielder Ahmed Hassan and Hamburg forward Mohamed Zidan have been resting as they arrived late on Wednesday. The players will get a break on …

CAIRO: Hussein Ali has decided to extend his contract with Petrojet after the club denied him the chance to join either Ahly or Zamalek. Ahly were competing with arch-rivals Zamalek for the signature of the talented midfielder, but Petrojet were not willing to give up the player. Reports had claimed that the 26-year-old has already …

CAIRO: Egyptian midfielder Hossam Ghaly has revealed that English Premier League club Blackburn are interested in signing him. Blackburn want to sign me. I have offers from other Premier League sides in addition to a Hertha Berlin bid but I haven t chosen my next destination yet, Ghaly told FilGoal.com. The 26-year old midfielder spent …

CAIRO: Zamalek s assistant coach Mohamed Helmi has expressed concerns over the team s shaky defense following Monday s 3-2 defeat against Telecom Egypt. The Whites conceded three goals on three terrible defensive mistakes that cost them the points of the game and the second spot. These mistakes can cost us a lot in the …