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 EGYPT | 2:0 |  South Africa | EGYPT wins the African Nations 1998 for the 4th time |  Match Coverage Medium Band Width Courtesy of Egypt SIS |
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EGYPT | 2:0 | South Africa | EGYPT wins the African Nations 1998 for the 4th time | Match Coverage Medium Band Width Courtesy of Egypt SIS |
 | Hossam Hassan joins McArthy (S Africa) as the tournament top scorers (7 goals) |  |
Final: Sat 28 Feb, Egypt 2-0 South Africa
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MAHMOUD AL-GOHARI Gohari is the first person to win the Nations' Cup as both aplayer. He was top scorer in the second Nations'Cup in 1959 when Egypt won the second of their three titles. A veteranof 27 internationals, he coached Egypt in the 1990 World Cup finals inItaly. Before this year's Nations' Cup, he said that administrativewrangles between club and country had disrupted Egypt's preparations andpredicted that they were unlikely to make it beyond the quarter-finals.``The Egyptian team is like an orphan child.'' said Gohari, a retiredarmy brigadier who turned 60 on February 20, and played for Egyptianside al-Ahly from 1955 to 1964. Egypt won the first and and secondNations' Cups and again in 1986.
1-Nader El Sayed: 25. Goalkeeper, who has conceded just one goal in the Nations' Cup tournament. Has won continentalhonours with his club Zamalek, where he was the hero in the penalty shootout that decided the destiny of the 1996 AfricanChampions' Cup
3-Mohamed Omara: 23. Fullback from Al Ahli in Cairo who offers an attacking option down the right flank for his country. Hasproved a revelation for Egypt since breaking into the team just before the finals.
4-Hany Ramzy: 28. German-based defender who has also been used in an unusual midfield role by coach Mahmoud Al-Gohari inthis tournament. Is one Egypt's most experienced players, having played in 13 matches in four different Nations' Cup tournaments,and a regular in the Bundesliga with Werder Bremen.
5-Samir Kamouna: 25. Tall and extremely strong defender from Al Ahli who was brought back into the team when Al-Goharitook over a year ago. Sat out Egypt's defeat by Morocco in group D in this tournament through suspension.
6-Mehdat Abdelhadi: 23. Another of Egypt's three-man central defence and like goalkeeper El Sayed already an Africanchampion at club level with his club Zamalek two years ago. Red-carded against Morocco and missed the quarterfinal clashagainst the Ivory Coast in Ouagadougou
8-Yasser Radwan: 25. Hard-running defender from Hansa Rostock in the German Bundesliga who scored in the first roundgroup match against Zambia in Bobo-Dioulasso. Was named among the best 11 players at the 1996 Nations' Cup in South Africa.
21-Nabih Osama: 22. Zamalek's midfielder should fill in the midfield in place of Sami El Shishini, whom he replaced for thesemifinal win over hosts Burkina Faso in Bobo-Dioulasso on Wednesday. Played just one game in the qualifying campaign forthese finals.
17-Ahmed Hassan: 22. Diminutive creator from Ismailia who has been one of his country's key performers in Burkina Faso.Has already earned two yellow cards in the tournament and sat out the group D match against Morocco earlier in the month. Wasin the Egyptian squad for the last Nations' Cup finals in South Africa but did not get a game.
10-Abdelsatar Sabry: 23. Austrian-bound winger from Arab Contractors who is likely to be brought back into the starting line-upafter being left out for semifinal against Burkina Faso. His tricky dribbling skills will stretch the South Africandefence, whom he played against at the last Nations' Cup in Johannesburg two years ago.
14-Hazem Imam: 22. Tricky and skillful player who has been a handful for opposing defenders at the Nations Cup. A reserve atItalian club Udinese and is looking for a transfer to France for more regular first team football. This is his second Nations' Cuptournament.
10-Hossam Hassan: 31. Egypt's captain and comeback king who has returned after missing the last two Nations' Cuptournaments to score seven goals. In the 1988 and 1992 finals, he failed to register a single goal. Played in the 1990 World Cupfinals andhas won numerous honours with his club Al Ahli.
16-Esam El Hadari: 25. Al Ahli's goalkeeper has had to play second fiddle to El Sayed in this tournament, just as he did twoyears ago at the last Cup finals in South Africa.
2-Abdelzaher El Saqqa: 24. Injury and suspension has allowed El Saqqa two appearances at the tournament in Burkina Fasoand he has impressed with his talent. Drafted into the squad last December by Al-Gohari and the Mansoura defender looks alikely find for the future.
7-Mohamed Youssef: 27. The Al Ahli utility player lost his place in the starting line-up after the opening match in the tournamentbut is still a handy figure on the bench.
11-Yaser Rayan: 27. Winger from champions Al Ahli who was also in the starting line-up in Egypt's opening game at thetournament against Mozambique but quickly replaced. Came on as a substitute in both the quarter-final and semifinal matches.
13-Walid Salah: 20. Youthful striker is the youngest member of the squad and has had just one brief outing as a substitute forEgypt in this competition. Helped his club Mansoura reach the semifinals of last year's African Cup Winners' Cup.
19-Sami El Shishini: 26. Another occasional substitute for Egypt, who has had one game in the starting line-up at the NationsCup finals against the Ivory Coast in the quarter-finals. Plays for Zamalek in Cairo.
20-Tarek Mostafa: 26. Played in the semifinal against Burkina Faso ,started line-up for final. Winner of the African Champions Cup with Zamalek in 1996.
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