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| 2005 Grand Champions
Cup: |
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Fifth and Final Day
Brazil Defeated Egypt and achieved
the Men's and Women's Double
Tokyo, Japan,
November 27-: The African Champions
Egypt ended their successful
 presentation in the big FIVB event,
the 2005 Grand Champions Cup by a
defeat against the World champions
and competition winners Brazil in
the final day at Tokyo Metropolitan
Gymnasium on Sunday. Brazil came
through with a perfect 5-0 win-loss
record to claim their second World
Grand Champions Cup title.
Egypt men team left a good
impression of African volleyball not
only by claiming the fifth position
between the best reams in the world
but also by having a position for
the first time in the best players
tribune through their star Abdalla
Abdel Salam, the competition best
server.
Brazil won their final match 3-0
(25-21, 25-20, 25-21) over African
champions Egypt. The title was worth
US$300,000, while USA (4-1) picked
up US$150,000 for finishing second
in the six-team inter-continental
championship. Egypt took US$75,000
for finishing sixth.
With 10 squad members in Europe and
only two in Brazil, the head coach,
Rezende had only four days with his
players, two in Italy and two in
Japan, but their individual talent,
fighting spirit and big-match
experience shone through at the
critical times.
USA swept China in straight sets
25-16, 25-21, 25-18 to claim the
silver medal. Their only loss was to
Brazil, 3-1, in the first game on
the first day at Nagano.
In the 15th and last match of the
five-day schedule, Italy beat Japan
3-0 (25-20, 25-22, 25-20) to finish
3-2 and win the bronze medal, ahead
of Japan, and US$125,000.
With a much-changed line-up, Italy
lived up to their standing as world
No. 2 to power past 16th-ranked
Japan in straight sets for their
first win in Tokyo after two
defeats.
Final
rankings:
1,
Brazil
2, USA
3, Italy
4, Japan
5, Egypt
6, China
Individual awards:
· MVP: Andre Nascimento (Brazil)
· Best scorer, Andre Nascimento
(Brazil)
· Best server, Abdallah Ahmed
(Egypt)
· Best spiker, Alessandro Fei
(Italy)
· Best blocker, Ryan Millar (USA)
· Best setter, Ricardo Garcia
(Brazil)
· Best libero, Mirko Corsano
(Italy).
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Day
Four
Egypt lost to USA and face Brazil in
the final day
Tokyo, November 26, -: Egypt
Volleyball Men team lost their
fourth match against USA in straight
sets in the fourth day of the Men's
Grand Champions cup at Tokyo
Metropolitan Gymnasium on Saturday
afternoon.
The exhausted Egyptian players
couldn't face the strong hits of
their opponent to lose 3-0 (25-12,
25-21, 25-15) one day after their
historic victory over China which
was the first for an African team in
a big FIVB Intercontinental
competition.
USA produced a business-like
performance to beat Egypt after
their big victory over Italy 3-0 in
the third day. Clayton Stanley, who
is in his fifth year playing
professionally in Greece, led the
American charge with 22 points,
comprised of 16 spikes, three blocks
and three service winners.
He said it had been very important
to follow up the previous day's
crushing 3-0 victory over Italy with
a solid display against the African
champions.
Brazil took a giant stride toward a
second World Grand Champions Cup by
beating Italy in a five-set epic.
The reigning world and Olympic
champions won the first two sets to
put them on course for a comfortable
victory, but world No. 2 Italy
fought back to take the next two and
force the tiebreak.
In an electric atmosphere, Brazil
prevailed 15-13 to improve their
win-loss record to 4-0, with one
game to play, against African
champions Egypt, on Sunday.
Although Brazil have dropped six
sets in four matches, they have
accomplished the most important
thing and that's to win three each
time. The South American champions,
who won this title in 1997, saved
six set points before winning the
first set 32-30 on their third
attempt. They took the second 25-20,
lost the third 23-25 and the fourth
22-25, but regrouped and came home
in the decider with a couple of
sparkling late winners from Andre
Nascimento.
In the all-Asia evening affair,
Japan won a thriller 3-2 over China
claiming 15-8 in the fifth on their
eighth match point.
They missed six match points in a
35-minute fourth set, which China
won 37-35 on their seventh set
point.
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Egypt achieved the first
ever African victory
Tokyo,
Japan, November 25-: Egypt
Men’s volleyball team
recorded a new brave page in
the
history of the game when
they clinched the first
victory by an African team
in the FIVB's
inter-continental
championship beating the
strong china team in a
thriller five setters on the
third day of the men's World
Grand Champions Cup at Tokyo
Metropolitan Gymnasium on
Friday. Egypt were the toast
of Africa after beating
China 3-2 (25-23, 21-25,
21-25, 25-21, 15-12) after a
fantastic performance pulled
the attraction to all the
spectators and
understandably it delighted
head coach Ahmed Zakaria.
"I hope our team wins
tomorrow and the day after
tomorrow," he said. "We
always lost to the China
team 3-0, in 2003 and 2004,
but we changed our team in
March and built a new team.
Most of them are under 22,
and they are young and
without experience, but now
our team grows up." Egypt,
ranked 21st in the world,
are the first African team
to compete in the World
Grand Champions Cup and lost
before narrowly to the hosts
Japan in another five
setters match in the
opening. The Egyptian
performance raised to the
top after china were leading
2-1 in the third set as the
emerging Ahmed Salah and the
brilliant setter Abdalla
Abdel Salam did their best
to allow Egypt to level the
score before they won the
tiebreak.After defeats by
Japan and Italy on the first
two days in Nagano, the
African champions held off
wild card China 25-23,
21-25, 21-25, 25-21, 15-12
in a near two-hour marathon.
Zakaria said victory over
China had followed good
results against Tunisia in
September and also against
Spain in the Mediterranean
Games. "It is good because
in Africa the Tunisia team
is better than Egypt for 20
years, but this year we have
won many championships and
qualified for the 2006 World
Championship in Japan," he
said. Later in the day,
world No. 5 USA swept No. 2
Italy 3-0 (25-23, 25-20,
25-18) to put both teams at
2-1 In the evening match,
Brazil held off a determined
challenge by Japan to finish
the third day as the only
team with a 3-0 win-loss
record. The reigning world
and Olympic champions beat
the 16th-ranked Japan 3-1
(25-21, 25-20, 23-25,
25-18), lifting their game
at the crucial moments to
stay in charge.
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Second defeat for
Egypt against World No. 2
Nagano, Japan, November 23, 2005-: The African
Representative Egypt found it difficult to stop the World
ranked No.
 two,
Italian team's big guns Alberto Cisola, Luigi Masterangelo
and Alessandro Fei to lose in straight sets on the second
day of the World Grand Champions Cup in Japan at Nagano
Arena on Wednesday.
Italy made no such mistake against Egypt in the match,
winning in straight sets 25-20, 25-18, 25-19 in 62 minutes.
They used both their wing spikers led by Cisola and
Masterangelo as well as the solid back line defense and
impermeable block.
Egypt, ranked 21st in the world, played with a good deal of
venom again, and Africa can feel proud of its first
representative in the World Grand Champions Cup. They have
one of the most spectacular spikers of the competition in
lefty Ahmed Salah, who scored 12 points, but Italy had too
much all-round skill to ever feel threatened.
Egypt went point by point in the first set through their
solid block of Hosam Shaarawy and the spikes of the wing
spiker from position 2 Ahmed Salah but Italy used their
block to stop their attacks and win the set 25-20.
The econd set showed Italian dominance through their strong
spike service of Cisola and Matej Cernic as they ended the
set 25-18. Egypt tried to save the match in the third set
improving their defense against the Italian hits but they
were exhausted of playing a five setter's match against
Japan the day before so they couldn't withstand to lose the
set 25-19.
No. 1 Brazil survived a mighty scare to beat China in five
sets. Brazil overcame a sluggish start to beat China 3-2 in
a fantastic match full of thrills.
The Chinese wild cards, playing with a fire and a freedom
that had been absent in Tuesday's defeat by Italy, won the
first two sets 25-23, 28-26, the latter after Brazil had
squandered two set points.
But the Olympic champions finally found some momentum,
controlled their erratic serve and took the next three sets
25-11, 25-18, 15-10.
USA recorded a tense 3-1 victory over Japan to leave both
teams with a 1-1 win-loss record.
China team did not have many opportunities to play against
such strong opposition like Brazil, and the players felt
tired from the third set, affecting the attack and the
block.
Japan were looking to build on the previous night's 3-2 win
over Egypt, but the Americans were too experienced and ran
out winners 25-22, 22-25, 25-21, 25-23.
There were few rallies in a fast and ferocious encounter,
and Japan saved two match points from 24-21 down in the
fourth set before succumbing.
Thursday is a travel/training day, before the action resumes
on Friday at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium. |
Egypt lost to the host
Japan after Brave Performance
Nagano, Japan, November 22-: After a thriller five sets
match, Egypt the first ever African
 Representative
in Grand Champions Cup lost narrowly
to the host team Japan but after a brave performance from
the team stars Ahmed Salah and Hamdy El Safy in the opening
day of the competition
at Nagano Arena on Tuesday.
In more than two hours of fantastic volleyball Japan
supported by the home crowd won the match 3-2 (25-16, 23-25,
14-25, 25-23, 15-5), but
Egypt lost a great chance of winning the match 3-1 when they
were leading by two sets to one and leading many time in the
fourth set.
The recently-crowned Asian champions beat Africa's first
entry into the World Grand Champions Cup, Egypt, ranked 21st
in the world, 15-5 in
the tiebreaker after trailing 2-1 in sets. When the
Egyptians lost the first set 25-16, they appear in a
completely different picture in the second and
third sets using their big guns Ahmed Salah and Captain
Hamdy El Safy and the talented setter Abdalla Abdel Salam to
win both sets 25-23 and
25-14. Japan looked losers in the fourth set when the
Egyptians continued their high performance using also the
wing spikers Saleh Fathy and
Hosam Sharawy, but suddenly they fell in service and
reception mistakes to lose the set narrowly 25-23.
Japan Captain Masaji Ogino, a veteran at 35, rose to the
occasion on several occasions with 24 inspirational points
to clinch the match for his
team in the tiebreaker 15-5 when the Egyptian performance
dropped acutely.
Brazil and Italy began their World Grand Champions Cup
campaigns on a winning note in the opening day.
World and Olympic champions Brazil downed Norceca champions
USA 3-1, European champions and World No. 2 Italy outclassed
wild card
entry China 3-0.
Brazil, who won this title in 1997, lost the first set 27-25
to USA, but took the next three 25-22, 25-19, 26-24.
The second game of the day passed by in a blur of Azzurri
blue as Italy demolished 18th-ranked China 25-15, 25-15,
25-17 in just 58 minutes.
Alessandro Fei was almost unstoppable for Italy, scoring a
game-high 17 points, and Luigi Mastrangelo dominated the net
with 11 points.
Competion day two will feature on Wednesday three clashes:
China vs. Brazil, Italy vs. Egypt and Japan vs. USA. |
Egypt Coach and Stars
Profiles
EGYPT MEN TEAM COACH:
Egypt men coach, Ahmed Zakaria was one of the most famous
Volleyball players in Egypt in the eighteenth when he was a
talented middle
blockers in Al-Ahly club, the biggest team in the country.
He attracted the Egyptian coaches to be a usual member of
the Egyptian National team
from 1980 till 1990. He was one of the golden team which won
the African Nations Championship in 1983 to qualify to the
Olympic Games in Los
Angeles 1984. After he retired he started his coaching
career in his club with the young players then with the
youth team. He was appointed as a
head coach for Petrojet, one of the first division teams in
Egypt. In 1999 he was appointed as an assistant coach for
the Egyptian first team as
the team defeated their big Arch Rivals in the continent,
Tunisia to qualify to 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.
He studied many courses in Data Volley to work in this field
for three years before he returned to the Egyptian Natioonal
team as an assistant
coach for the famous Serbian coach, Vecelin Vukovic in
January 2005. Under his supervision the Egyptian team
achieved historic victories
starting by the qualification to 2006 World Championship in
Japan, then they won the Gold medal in the 15th
Mediterranean Games in Spain and
finally they won the African Nations championship in Cairo
to qualify to 2005 Grand Champions Cup in Japan. After the
suddenly the Serbian
Coach Vecelin Vukovic retired last September the Egyptian
Volleyball Federation upgraded him as head coach and to be
assisted by Sherif El-
Shemerly, the Coach of the youth team
EGYPTIAN MEN STARS
HAMDY ELSAFY
Hamdy Elsafy is considered one of the most experienced
players in the current Egyptian team and the team captain.
The 33 years old wing
spiker started his volleyball career 20 years ago in 1983 in
Al-Ahly club in Cairo and through his talented skills he
played with his first team when
he was only 17 years. In the same year he played with the
National team, he was selected also to the national men team
in 1990. He had many
achievements with the national team as he qualified twice to
the World Championship in Japan 1998 and Argentina 2002 and
twice also to the
World Cup in 1995 and 2003 as well as the Olympic Games in
Sydney 2000. He also won 20 championships with his club Al-Ahly
including
African, Arab and local competitions. Season 2002/2003 was
historical for the Egyptian star as he won the local league,
cup and Super cup, then
the Arab Cup of Clubs' Champions and African Cup of Clubs'
Championship in 2003 and 2004.
AHMEN SALAH EDDINE
Ahmen Salah Eddine is the youngest player in the Egyptian
team playing wing spiker in position 2. The 21 years old
player who was in his
country's squad in the last Men's U-21 World Championship in
Iran 2003 played with the first team for the first time in
the last All Africa Games in
Nigeria, October 2003 to get the gold medal which is his
first trophy with the team. He started his international
Career with the national team U 19
to lead them to the fourth place in the World Championship
of this age category in Cairo 2001, which is considered the
best ever result in his
country's international history. He was the fourth best
player in the competition. He won the African Nation's
Championship U-21 in Cairo 2002 to
be chosen as the best players in the competition.
With his local club Al-Ahly he won the Arab Cup of Clubs'
Champions in Lebanon 2002, as well as the African Cup of
Clubs Champions 2003
and 2004.
WAEL AL-AYDY
Wael Alaydy is considered one of the most experienced
Egyptian players as he is the best Libero player in his
country since this position is
established. The 33 years old player played with the
National team in all the competitions in the last six years
and was selected as the best libero
in more than 15 competitions in the international and club
level. He played in the World Championship in Argentina 2002
and was one of the best
players in his side. He won 5 league and 4 cup titles with
his team Al-Ahly as well as 5 African Club competition.
MOHAMED ABDELRAHMAN
Mohamed Abdelrahman is one of the best setters in Egypt
since he took the role from the superstar Maged Moustafa in
his club, Al-Ahly. The 25
y setter started in the famous club Al-Ahly when he was only
12 years and shifted to the first team when he was 18 y. He
is considered the main
Egyptian setter as he is prominent with his good net
performance specially in blocking. He played with the
National youth team in the World
Championship in Japan 1995. He played with the first
National team in two African Nations' Championships 1999 and
2003 and got the second
place in both and also two All Africa Games 1999 in South
Africa and 2003 in Nigeria to get the gold medal of the
latter. He played also in the
Sydney Olympics and also in the World Championship in
Argentina 2002. With Ahly club he 5 league and 3 cup titles,
and also 8 African Cups of
clubs' competitions. He won also 3 Arab cups of Clubs.
SALEH FATHY
Saleh Fathy is considered on of the emerging stars in the
newly blooded Egyptian team. This spiker is 23 years old and
started volleyball when
he was 9 y in the infamous Egyptian club, Tersana. When he
was 17 years he shifted to the most famous club Al-Ahly in
1999 to stay few months
before signing to their Arch Rivals, Zamalek in the same
year. He won two African youth championships. With the first
team he participated in the
African Nations Championship 2003 in Cairo, where he got the
second place before gaining the gold medal in All Africa
Games in Nigeria,
October 2003. With Zamalek he won a league and a cup titles.
ABDALLA ABDEL SALAM:
One of the best setter in the African Continent now. He won
three individual prizes in the last African Nations
Championship as he came as the
best setter, Server and digger. He started playing when he
was 10 years in Al- Ahly club in all the youth categories
till he was 17 years when he
was chosen to the Under 19 National team which achieved the
historic fourth position in 2001 Boys U-19 World
Championship in Egypt. Two
years later he represented his country in the 2003 U-21
World Championship in Iran before playing with the first
team from 2004. He was one of
the brilliant players in the team gaining the gold medal; in
both 2005 Mediterranean Games and 2005 African Nations
Championship. |
Egyptian Men Team
Profile
EGYPT, THE BIGGEST SCHOOL OF AFRICA VOLLEYBALL
Egypt will be the first ever African country to represent
the continent in the Grand Champions Cup in Japan 2005 when
they play their as the last
Champions of the 15th African Nations Championship in Cairo,
last September.
Egypt is considered the biggest school in Africa volleyball
as it was the first country to practice this sport in the
beginning of the last century.
Volleyball was played in the Christian Club in Upper Egypt
through some foreign delegations staying in the country at
that time specially in Aseut
about 400 KM from Cairo and also through some Greece and
Italian people in Alexandria and Port Said.
In 1937 volleyball was distributed in many areas in Egypt
and so the sport was scheduled as an adjuvant sport with
Basketball Federation. This
federation supervised both volleyball and Basketball
competitions and at that time volleyball competitions were
organized in summer while
Basketball in winter. In 1952 a separate Volleyball
federation was established to be the first National
federation in Africa. In 1959 the Egyptian
Federation was affiliated to the FIVB to participate in the
same year in the first international competition which was
the European Championship
in Romania.
Egyptian volleyball was the leader to participate in all the
international competitions like the African Nations'
Championship, African Club
competitions and FIVB world level championships. Egypt won
four African Nations Championships to come second to Tunisia
in Africa history.
Egyptian Clubs won 10 Cups of Clubs' Champions and 8 Cup
Winners' Cups through the major clubs Al-Ahly and Zamalek.
Egypt men team also
won three gold medals in All Africa Games including the last
competition in Abuja, Nigeria in October 2003 and four Arab
competitions.
Egypt Men team qualified to the World Championships finals
two successive times in Argentina 2002 and Japan 2006.
2005 showed a dramatic improvement in the volleyball results
as Egypt won the gold medal in the 15th Mediterranean Games
in Almeria, Spain
being the first international non African competition to be
won by an African team defeating the organizers, Spain in
the final. Egypt won also the
15th African Nations Championship in Cairo to qualify to
2005 Grand Champions Cup being also the first African team
in the history of the
competition. FIVB chooses Egypt also to participate in 2006
World League to become the pioneer in the continent in this
competition. |
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