Egypt asks Namibia, Uganda, Guinea to save camp

Mahmoud Elassal, Thursday 26 Sep 2013

Egypt national team coach asks Egyptian Football Association to find replacement team to face Pharaohs in friendly match after Sierra Leone refused

Bob Bradley
Egypt's head coach Bob Bradley of the U.S. (Photo: Reuters)

The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) is racing against time to find another African team to play a friendly match with the national team, in preparation for the clash against Ghana in the 2014 World Cup qualifiers playoff on 15 October.

The Pharaohs were scheduled to play a friendly against Sierra Leone on 28 September, amid arrangements for the African World Cup qualifier playoff against Ghana, but the latter backed out.

The Egyptian Football Association is planning to launch a campaign in support of the team's effort to reach its first World Cup since 1990.

"Coach Bradley asked the EFA to move quickly and find a replacement team for Sierra Leone who backed out from playing a friendly against Egypt," a technical staff member told Al-Ahram Arabic news website.

"Bradley also confirmed that the Egypt local based players need more friendlies before the Ghana game," the source added.

Meanwhile, EFA spokesman Azmi Megahed said the Association will find the alternate team after Sierra Leone refusal to save the Egypt preparatory camp for Ghana clash.

Egypt is scheduled to play in Ghana on 15 October, with the return leg on 19 November.

"The EFA asked more African football associations like Namibia, Uganda, Guinea and Botswana to arrive in Cairo on 28 or 29 October to face Egypt," Megahed said.

"We didn’t receive a response from those associations, and when we receive it we will tell the Egypt national team technical staff." the EFA spokesman concluded.

The Pharaohs are eyeing their first World Cup appearance since 1990, while Ghana is seeking to reach the tournament for the third consecutive time, having reached the quarterfinals in their last appearance in 2010.

(For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.)

Short link: