OSAKA: Forward Yoshito Okubo scored two goals in the first half Wednesday, leading Japan to a 4-1 win over Egypt in an international friendly. Okubo opened the scoring in the 21st minute at Nagai Stadium and then doubled the lead three minutes before the break when he headed in a centering pass from Yasuhito Endo. …

CAIRO: Egypt achieved both goals planned during the African qualifications, reaching Ghana 2008 and pumping new blood into the team, according to assistant coach Shawki Gharib. The African champions needed a 78th-minute goal from substitute Mohamed Fadl to have some breathing space against Botswana in Cairo on Saturday. Despite Egypt s qualification as Group B …

CAIRO: Amr Zaki says he feels insulted by Ayman Mansour after the Zamalek assistant coach described the striker’s announcement of retirement as “silly . Following Zamalek s 1-1 draw with Suez Cement in the Egyptian League, Zaki hit out at his teammates and revealed his intention to hang up his boots due to the team …

CAIRO: Veteran striker Hossam Hassan is unhappy with Ittihad s intention to punish him for missing training, saying that someone of his stature shouldn’t be treated like that. Ittihad football director Sayed Karawan said that Hassan is awaiting sanction for his conduct but the 41-year-old hitman is refusing the prospect of him being punished. My …

CAIRO: Egypt produced a 7-0 drubbing of Ireland to claim their third successive win in the Military World Games in India. A hat-trick from Al-Gaish midfielder Mamdouh Abdul-Hai in addition to goals from Ahmed Eid, Shikabala, Abdul-Hamid Bassiouni and Mohsen Hendawi gave the Pharaohs the huge win. Egypt finished the first round on top of …

CAIRO: Amr Zaki has apologized to Zamalek board after making outspoken comments against his teammates following the team s disappointing 1-1 Egyptian League draw with bottom side Suez Cement. I was furious when I said these comments, I couldn t control my temper. I was subjected to so much psychological pressure, the prolific striker told …

CAIRO: Mohamed Abou-Treika has been declared fit to take part in Egypt s African Cup of Nations qualifier against Botswana on Saturday, the national team s trainer Hamada Sedki said. It was feared the Al Ahly playmaker would miss the decider after picking up an injury during his team s 1-0 CAF Champions League victory …

CAIRO: Ismaili defender Sayed Moawad said that he is on the verge of completing a move to Sudanese club Al-Merrikh in January. The Egypt full-back confirmed that a LE 4 million offer was accepted by Ismaili and that he is expected to join in the winter break. I accepted the offer and the two clubs …

CAIRO: Egypt captain Ahmed Hassan said on Tuesday that he is sure that his Anderlecht side will qualify from their tough UEFA Cup group. Anderlecht were drawn alongside Hapoel Tel Aviv, Getafe, AaB Aalborg of Denmark and Premiership side Tottenham, for which Egyptian Hossam Ghaly plays, in Group G of the competition. All of the …

CAIRO: Al-Wehdat coach Ismail Youssef said that the Jordanian club s reaction to his move to Zamalek was the only obstacle that prevented a return to his former club. Youssef has been offered an assistant coach role at the Cairo club, which he apparently accepted, but Wehdat refused to let go their head coach. Zamalek …

CAIRO: Etoile Sahel manager Bertrand Marchand is confident of his side s ability to end Al Ahly s African ascendancy when the two sides meet in the final of the Champions League. Al Ahly are on course to win an unprecedented third straight title, one of which was at the expense of the Tunisian side …

CAIRO: Zamalek s Mohamed Abdel Monsef and Alaa Abdel Ghani will hold contract talks with assistant coach Ayman Mansour during the Egyptian League break. We will hold negotiations with them especially that their contracts expire at the end of the season, Mansour told FilGoal.com. The former Zamalek legend revealed that he will try to convince …

CAIRO: Al Ahly midfielder Mohamed Barakat has been ruled out of Egypt s decider against Botswana next Saturday because of an injury. Al Ahly s medical staff sent his medical record confirming the player’s need to rest. We have received another report concerning Mohamed Abou Treika who suffers from some pains in his knee, Egypt …

CAIRO: Anderlecht playmaker Ahmed Hassan is the highest paid player in the Belgian league along with teammate Jan Polak, according to a sport magazine in Brussels. The Egypt midfielder is joined with the Czech Republic international on top of the salary list as both players reportedly earn 700,000 euros a year. Standard Liege s American …

CAIRO: Ismaili have secured a morale-boosting 1-0 home victory over Nigeria s Kwara United in the CAF Confederation Cup on Sunday. The Dervishes managed to end a four-match winless streak in all competitions, thanks to Youssef Gamal s strike midway through the first-half. He chested down Mohamed Hommos superb long ball inside the area before …

JOHANNESBURG: Unimaginative Al Ahly of Egypt had to rely on an own goal at the weekend to stay in contention for a record third consecutive African Champions League title. Al Ahly edged Al-Ittihad of Libya 1-0 in Cairo after a goalless first leg to set up a rematch of the 2005 final against Etoile Sahel …

CAIRO: Al Ahly coach Manuel Jose is relieved to see his side reach the African Champions League final for the third straight year after beating Ittihad of Libya 1-0 in the semi-final second leg on Sunday. It was a tense game, we were under pressure to win because the first leg ended 0-0 and we …

JOHANNESBURG: Sudanese club Al-Merreikh survived a scare in Nigeria Sunday to clinch a place in the African Confederation Cup final. Opponents Dolphin won the final-round Group B clash 3-0 in the southeast town of Calabar and had they scored twice more without reply would have made a sensational entry into the two-leg decider next month. …

CAIRO: Harras Al-Hodoud board have rejected the resignation of manager Tarek Al-Ashri and confirmed that he will be in charge until the end of the season. Al-Ashri handed in his resignation after the 1-1 home draw with a 10-man Ghazl Mahalla side last week, but the Al Hodoud board gave him their vote of confidence. …

The Egyptian FA rejected Zamalek s request to amplify the suspension of striker Amr Zaki to the international level. The Cairo club imposed a one-month ban on the 24-year-old on Saturday, and the Zamalek board was hoping to prevent him from representing Egypt throughout his ban period. However, EFA president Samir Zaher dismissed the possibility …

Ismaili announced that Ismail Hefni will take charge of the team on a temporary basis, following the sacking of former coach Taha Basri on Monday. Former star Hefni will act as the team s caretaker coach until the Dervishes board decides on the new manager. Current Yemen coach and ex-manager Mohsen Saleh has been short …

CAIRO: Petrojet swept 3-1 past Enppi on Wednesday and climbed to second place in the Egyptian League standings, keeping pressure on Al Ahly and Al-Gaish. The Suez-based side now have 16 points, one behind of leaders Al Ahly and level with Al-Gaish but they lead on goal difference. Mohamed Samara put Petrojet ahead in the …

CAIRO: Zamalek assistant coach Ayman Mansour said the club intends to punish defender Wissem El-Abdi for being needlessly dismissed in the disappointing 1-1 draw with Suez Cement. The Tunisian defender was handed a straight red card in the first-half after hitting Mohamed Al-Saghir s chest with his boot in an off-ball challenge. The player s …

CAIRO: Zamalek skipper Hazem Emam has been recalled by manager Ruud Krol to the squad that will face Suez Cement in the Egyptian League on Tuesday. Emam has been out of action since the Whites opening day defeat against Ismaili, after which the talented playmaker threatened to quit, following angry boos by his own club …

CAIRO: Ten-man Zamalek extended their winless streak to three matches following a 1-1 home draw with bottom side Suez Cement in a behind-closed-doors Egyptian League game on Tuesday. Mohamed Al-Saghir fired the visitors in front early in the first-half but was cancelled out by Beshir Al-Tabie s free-kick shortly after. The Cairo giants played most …

CAIRO: Al-Gaish got through to the second round of the Arab Champions League (ACL) after beating their Lebanese guests Al-Ansar 2-1 in Cairo on Monday. Anwar Messaoud opened the scoring for the hosts in the 17th minute but Brazilian Edilson cancelled the lead just seconds before the break. Ghanaian striker Ernest Papa Arko had the …

CAIRO: Ismaili sacked manager Taha Basri early on Tuesday after the 4-4 home draw with Ittihad Alexandria. The board of directors decided to sack both Basri and football director Sayed Abdel Razeq in an urgent meeting following the game, according to Ismaili Vice Chairman Ibrahim Ashour. Ismaili President Yehia Al-Koumi is in Saudi Arabia and …

CAIRO: Ismaili have appealed against Fifa s decision to give Ligue1 side Strasbourg the right to register Egypt midfielder Hosni Abd-Rabou. Fifa ordered Ismaili to send the player s ITC to the French side, but the Dervishes stood firm in the case and decided to send an objection. Consequently, an appeal has been sent to …

CAIRO: Mahmoud “Shikabala Abdel Razek has been banned from training with Zamalek s first team for a month due to disciplinary reasons, the club said. The international playmaker has been absent from training without permission after being hit with a three-game suspension by the Egyptian Football Association. He was also slammed by an internal fine, …

CAIRO: Former Zamalek and Al Ahly defender Mohamed Sedik terminated his contract with Al Masri on Saturday citing bad luck with the coastal club. I am having too [much] bad luck here to stay, Sedik told FilGoal.com without elaborating. I can t wait until January when I can repay the signing fee and leave. Sedik …