Zamalek FC heading to Ghana

The 24-man Zamalek delegation left Cairo on Wednesday heading for Kumasi, where they hope to keep the Super Cup if they can beat Ghanaians Hearts of Oak next Sunday.

Egypt's top sport officials and fans went to the airport to wish good luck to the African Cup Winners' Cup champions who will retain the Super Cup in perpetuity if they can win a third final.

The minister of youth promised Zamalek officials and players valuable rewards if they return victorious from their trip to Ghana.

The final has been moved to Kumasi from Accra by the Confederation of African Football who decided that Hearts' stadium in Accra was banned following crowd trouble during the Champions League final against Esperance de Tunis.

Zamalek had lodged a complaint with Caf asking for the game to be switched to Cairo, but their request was turned down.

Zamalek are now anxious after rumours spread that there is a possibility that the game might not be televised because of a dispute between Egyptian TV and the right holders.

Because they have won the Super Cup twice before, in 1994 in Johannesburg and in 1997 in Cairo, Zamalek keep it if they triumph for a third time.

However, this will be the first occasion Zamalek will fight to snatch the Cup from a foreign team.

In the two previous matches, Zamalek have taken the Cup from two Egyptian rivals; from Al-Ahly in '94 and from the Arab Contractors in '97.

It will be the first time the twin brothers Hossam and Ibrahim Hassan play with their new club in an African competition.

The former Al-Ahly stars had not participated in Zamalek's victory in the Cup Winners Cup final last December.

The world's most capped international Hossam Hassan broke his goalscoring drought at the weekend as he helped stretch Zamalek's lead at the top of the Egyptian first division, by beating Maaden 3-1.

Zamalek are now comfortably ahead of traditional rivals and defending champions Al-Ahly.

The team ended its training camp and preparations for the clash in Kumasi with a 2-0 victory over Sohag in the league championship on Tuesday.

Zamalek's delegation are due to stay in Accra before heading to Kumasi in a private military plane that was arranged by the Egyptian Embassy there to avoid travelling on Ghana's bumpy roads.

The team's head coach Otto Pfister said he has confidence in his players.

"We are not going to a picnic, but to snatch the cup from the home team," said Pfister before leaving Cairo. - BBC