Egypt got a lot of benefit from its two final friendly matches ahead of the African Cup of Nations, coach Javier Aguirre said on Sunday, adding that he has settled on the starting line-up for the Pharoahs opener against Zimbabwe on Friday. The Pharaohs claimed a narrow win over Tanzania on Thursday before beating Guinea 3-1 Sunday in the final warm-up test.

The technical staff of Egypt s national team is almost settled on a starting line-up for the African Cup of Nations (AFCON), according to assistant coach Hany Ramzy who insisted that winning the opening match against Zimbabwe is a must. Egypt is hosting this year s AFCON, which has been expanded to 24 teams and will take place from 21 June to 19 July.

A surprise inclusion in Egypt s squad, Ahmed Ali hit top form in the twilight of his career. The 33-year old is enjoying his best ever season, having scored 18 goals with Arab Contractors to top the Egyptian Premier League s scoring chart. Although Egypt coach Javier Aguirre has been reluctant to pick any over-30 players since taking over in August last year, Ali s red-hot form was so tempting for the Mexican boss.

Liverpool s star winger Mohamed Salah joined Egypt s national football team training camp Wednesday morning amid preparations for the anticipated African Cup of Nations (AFCON) after ending his vacation. Egypt is hosting this year s Nations Cup, which has been expanded to 24 teams and will take place from 21 June to 19 July. On Friday, the Pharaohs began their final preparatory closed camp, two weeks ahead of the beginning of the prestigious tournament. Salah received permission to join his teammates in the camp later, getting some rest after crowning his year with the Champions League title when Liverpool beat Tottenham 2-0 in the final 1 June.

The Egyptian Premier League will continue after the conclusion of the African Cup of Nations, which will be hosted by Egypt later this month, the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) revealed in a statement on Monday night. "Zamalek will face rivals Gouna on 23 July, four days after the African Cup ends, while Ahly will take on Arab Contractors three days later," said the EFA s statement.

Departing Bayern Munich defender Rafinha is returning home to join Brazilian club Flamengo, the Bundesliga champions confirmed on Monday. The 33-year-old bid farewell to Bayern last month after eight years at the club, and his contract officially expires on June 30.

For a few, fleeting moments Sunday, Rafael Nadal found his French Open supremacy seemingly threatened by Dominic Thiem, a younger, talented opponent challenging him in the final for the second consecutive year. A poor game from Nadal allowed Thiem to break him and even things at a set apiece. That development brought fans to their feet in Court Philippe Chatrier, roaring and clapping and, above all, wondering: Was this, now, a real contest? Could Thiem push Nadal more? Could he make this surge last? Would Nadal falter?

African football s governing body has ordered the abandoned second leg of the CAF Champions League final between Esperance and Wydad Casablanca to be replayed at a neutral venue after this month s Cup of Nations. The turmoil in Africa s premier club competition comes just over two weeks before the start of an expanded 24-team Cup of Nations in Egypt.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino believes his new Club World Cup could generate as much as $50 billion in commercial income when it starts in 2021. nfantino was re-elected unopposed for a second term as FIFA president in Paris on Wednesday and will now press on with plans already approved for the expanded competition.

Zamalek held to a 1-1 draw by Harras El-Hodoud in a delayed league game at Mexx stadium in Alexandria on Monday to drop another two points in their race for the Egyptian league title. The White Knights are now third in the league table with 68 points, six behind leaders Ahly who played one match more.

Reaction to Liverpool s 2-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League final on Saturday. LIVERPOOL MANAGER JUERGEN KLOPP “I am so happy for the boys all these people, and my family. They suffer for me, they deserve it more than anybody. “Did you ever see a team like this, fighting with no fuel in the tank? And we have a keeper who makes difficult things look easy. It is the best night of our professional lives.

Anyone can achieve success if they believes in themselves and work hard, according to Liverpool s star winger Mohamed Salah who contributed in guiding the Reds to winning the UEFA Champions League title after Saturday s 2-0 win over Tottenham in the final. "Believe, work hard, and it will happen," Salah said in a post via his Twitter account early Sunday, published alongside a photo of him lifting the prestigious trophy.

The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) announced early Wednesday that it had lodged an appeal with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) against a recent ban imposed on Egyptian referee Gehad Greisha. On Tuesday, Greisha was hit with a six-month suspension by the African football governing body due to what they called a poor performance during the Champions League final.

Mohamed Salah is keen to make a decisive contribution in Saturday s Champions League final against Tottenham Hotspur and help lay to rest the demons of Liverpool s nightmare defeat by Real Madrid a year ago. Salah injured his shoulder in a coming together with Real defender Sergio Ramos during last year s final in Kiev and was forced to leave the field with half an hour played.

The Argentine coach Ramon Diaz hinted in a Facebook post on Monday night that he is parting ways with Egyptian club Pyrmaids FC five months after assuming the club s helm, in what read like a Farwell massage to both Pyramids and Egypt "I want to thank my friend @turkialalshikh for this opportunity at @pyramidsfc, to my technical body for the work done and especially to my players who made a huge effort to meet the goals, including the triumphs to Ahly and Zamalek," reads the post on Diaz s official facebook page.

Zamalek clinched their maiden Confederation Cup title after beating Morocco s RS Berkane 5-3 on penalties following a 1-1 aggregate draw in Alexandria on Sunday to end a 16-year wait for an African title. A penalty awarded following a VAR review was converted by set-pieces specialist Mahmoud Alaa in the second half to level the aggregate score, undoing a brave approach by Berkane. Chances were few and far between, with Zamalek struggling to carve out openings despite their territorial dominance.

Overturning a 1-0 deficit is not that daunting for a club of Zamalek s pedigree as they host Morocco s RS Berkane in Alexandria on Sunday with the aim of putting their hands on the African Confederation Cup trophy for the first time. The Cairo giants looked on the verge of escaping with a 0-0 draw in the final first-leg away from home, only to concede a stoppage-time goal from Fo Doh Laba that makes Berkane slight favourites to win the title.

Former Egyptian sports minister Khaled Abdel-Aziz has criticised Egypt national football team coach Javier Aguirre for dropping a number of stars from the Pharaohs preliminary squad for this summer s African Cup of Nations. The preliminary Egyptian squad missed more talented players as Ahly winger Ramadan Sobhi and Zamaek s Mahmoud Kahraba were the prominent absentees alongside Ahly playmaker Saleh Gomaa and Zamalek s Abdalla Gomaa.

An in-form Ahly side will edge closer to a fourth straight Egyptian Premier League title should they overcome one of the few obstacles standing in their way -- rivals Ismaily. Both sides meet on Wednesday in what has always been a heated duel, although tensions have notably eased over the past few years after Ismaily s form faded.

The preliminary Egyptian squad for this summer s African Cup of Nations was announced on Tuesday. Ahly s playmaker Walid Soliman, who announced his international retirement months ago, was the prominent name on the squad, alongside Pyramids FC s midfiealder Abdallah El-Said, who hasn t been on the national team since the appointment of Mexican tactician Javier Aguirre.

Zamalek were on the verge of escaping with another 0-0 away draw in the CAF Confederation Cup but Morocco s RS Berkane were still able to snatch a first-leg advantage in the final after striking deep in stoppage time. Having wasted several goal-scoring chances, especially in the first half, Fo Doh Laba finished off a neatly-worked breakaway four minutes into the additional time to spark wild celebrations at the Berkane Municipal Stadium.