Egypt enrolls eight foreign-based players

CAIRO, Dec. 11 -- Coach of the Egyptian soccer team Hassan Shehata has named eight foreign-based Egyptian players to be enrolled in the initial squad for the competition of the 2008 African Cup of Nations (ACN) finals in Ghana, local sports websiteFilgoal.com reported Tuesday.

Playmaker Ahmed Hassan of Anderlecht leads the roster, along with Premiership duo Hossam Ghaly and Mohamed Shawky, Hamburg SV striker Mohamed Zidan and Ankaragucu defender Ibrahim Saied, who are playing football in Europe, said the report.

Ahmed Fathi, Wael Gomaa and Hassan Mostafa complete the list asthe Arab-based trio, it added.

All the eight foreign-based Egyptian players are expected to be available on Dec. 26, when the title holders start preparations for the ACN finals with a closed camp.

The final squad of the Egyptian team is expected to be announced later this month, said the report.

In the draw of the 2008 ACN that was held in the Ghanaian capital of Accra in October, the 16 finalists were divided into four groups of four teams each.

Egypt, who hold the record of winning the ACN titles for five times, was drawn into a relatively easy group, sitting in Group C along with Cameroon, Sudan and Zambia.

The ACN finals are set to be held in Ghana from Jan. 20 to Feb. 10, 2008.