
After posting draws in their respective Confederations Cup first round first leg matches last weekend, Egyptian sides Ismaily and Degla have set their sights on home soil victories to attain qualification to the next round. Ismaily, who drew 0-0 away at MK Etancheite in the DRC are at their Ismailia base where their Brazilian coach Heron Ricardo recently returned for a second stint.
“We had a good game in DR Congo and I’m satisfied with the draw”, Ricardo told Cafonline.com ahead of Sunday’s second leg.
“We have a very good chance to win in Ismailia. I hope Ghanaian striker John Antwi who was injured in the first leg recovers and is declared fit for Sunday. If not, we’ll have the replacement in youngsters Mohamed Alaa “Lala” and Essam Ali,” said Ricardo who in his first stint as Ismaily boss led the club to second spot in the Egyptian top flight in 2009 and reached the group stage of the 2010 CAF Champions League.
Wadi Degla, formed only in 2002, are the newest kids on the continental front from Egypt. While they may not have the continental conquests and glamour of Al Ahly and Zamalek, they can count on some fine talents and the leadership and experience of veteran Egyptian goal-minder Essam El Hadary as they host AS Douanes Lomé. The two sides battled to a 1-1 in the first leg.
“El Hadary helped us enormously in the first leg”, Degla manager Hisham Zakaria told Cafonline.com in recounting the first leg exploits of the 41-year old goalkeeper whose pivotal role away in West Africa ensured that the new continental club championships entrants snatched a precious away goal.
“His experience is our first asset in our very first continental experience. We will go through Sunday’s game with our eyes set on victory and qualification to the second round,” said Zakaria of his squad’s chances as they seek to breakdown a tough and experienced AS Dounaes side.
Ismaily and Degla’s run will be watched closely by the rest of the continent and see if an Egyptian side can for the first time go all the way to challenge for the title. Despite dominating CAF club championships and leading the rest of Africa with a combined 14 champions league titles among its clubs, no Egyptian side has ever won the Confederations Cup.
Ismaily, winners of the Champions League (then Club Champions Cup) went closest in 2000 when they reached the final, only to lose on away goals rule against Algeria’s JS Kabylie.
Confederation of African Football (CAF) News
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