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Ahly, Mouloudia, GSU and El
Guish to Semis
 Niamey,
Niger April 25, 2007-: All the big forces, the defending
champions Al Ahly of Egypt and their compatriots Al Guish,
Mouloudia of Algeria, and GSU of Kenya succeeded to secure their
vacancies to the semifinal of the twenty sixth Men’s Volleyball
African Clubs Champions Championship here at Palais des Sports
hall in Niamey, Niger following their victories in the
quarterfinal matches on Wednesday. The semifinalists clinched
their victories over FAP and Port teams of Cameroon, University
of Rwanda and Ahly of Libya respectively leaving these teams
competing for the 5-8 position. The organizers ASVB of Niger
lost to Interclub of Congo Brazzaville, while Tiko of Madagascar
defeated University Calavi of Benin in 9-12 position matches.
The competition Quarterfinal was attended by the Egyptian
Ambassador in Niger Mohamed Mahmoud El Ashmaoui, Control
Committee President Mr. Baba Sy, SOC delegates Mr. Okba Gougam
and Mr. Morakinyo, Referee Delegate Mr. Majeed Djirad, and Niger
Volleyball Federation President Mr. Amada Sidiyane.
 The
defending champions Al Ahly of Egypt used all their strength to
bring an easier victory than expected over the strong FAP team
of Cameroon in straight sets 3-0 (25-21, 25-23, 25-20) in 60
minutes. Al Ahly qualified to the semifinal to face Mouloudia of
Algeria, while FAP plays for the 5-8 positions. Ahly coach used
the main players led by their efficient setter Mohamed Abdel
Rahman and the super opposite Ahmed Salah who returned back from
an acute FLU attack. They won the first set using the skillful
combinations and the spikes of Mahmoud Raouf and Hamdy E Safy.
FAP came to the match in the second set and used the unstoppable
hits of Robert Samou and Alain Fossi to come near many times
before Ahly won narrowly 25-23. FAP stayed in competition in the
third set till they draw 20-20 when the experienced Ahly players
end the match and qualify to the semis.
Ahly head coach Nour Attia thought that the competition started
from the quarterfinal as his team was drawn in the stronger side
of the competition. “We had another strong match against
Mouloudia in the semifinal but as we play for the trophy it
doesn’t mean who will be the opponent as we have to win all the
matches till the final.” Attia said
 The
2006 Bronze medalists Mouloudia of Algeria clinched a difficult
victory over University of Rwanda 3-0 (25-23, 25-22, 25-21).
Maouloudia qualified to the semifinal for the second time in a
raw and meets Ahly in a big as Egyptian Algerian face of while
the Rwandan team play for 5-8 positions. The Algerian champions
won the first set by the experience of their players specially
the middle blocker Samir Ferad and the wing spiker Ali Kerboua
narrowly 25-23 after the Rwandan team passed the set point by
point with their opponent. The Rwandan team continued their
rhythm in the second set to lead 8-6 after they adjusted their
block of competition tallest player Jean Uwamahoro and the
spikes of Eric Nsabiamaand reached to the 20-19 when the
experienced Algerian players ended the set 25-22. The third set
went the same but with more point deficit for Mouloudia 25-21.
Mouloudia head coach Karimo Bernaoui said after the match that
his players were thinking of the semifinal match against Ahly
before their qualification and that made them not concentrating
well during the match. The Rwandan team is very strong and his
players had a big timber that allowed them to be near a big
surprise. “I want to defeat Ahly in the next match to win this
competition but I know now we are in front of the defending
champions.” Said Bernaooui.
 El
Guish of Egypt made it double qualification to the semifinal
when they pulled of a 3-1 victory over the strong Port Douala
team of Cameroon (25-27, 25-15, 25-19, 25-19) in 80 minutes of
exciting volleyball. Port used their strong opposite Nathan
Wounembaina to penetrate the strong Guish block and won the
first set 27-25. El Guish used their strong spike service from
the second set to disturb the reception of Port and succeeded to
use their strong spiker Eslam Awad and Mohamed Gabl to win the
second set before they led widely through the solid block of
Ibrahim Rashwan and the spikes of Mohamed Radwan to win two sets
and the match 3-1 to qualify to the semis for the first time in
history
GSU of Kenya keeps the Kenyan hopes of a semifinal ticket and to
be in the medal podium for the second time in the history of
Kenyan clubs when they defeated Ahly of Libya 3-1 (22-25, 25-20,
25-21, 25-15) in 80 minutes. GSU of Kenya qualified to the
semifinal to meet Guish of Egypt while Ahly of Libya plays Port
of Cameroon for the 5-8 positions. Ahly started the match using
their strong spikers John Adamu and Youssef Annan and also their
block of Ahmed Dardery to win the first set. But afterwards the
Kenyan team had the key of the match through their organized
block and backline defense and began to use the talent spikes of
Elphas Biwott and the block of Wakoli Tali and David Opiyo to
win three successive sets that bring the match and put the team
between the final four.
“I said from the start of the competition that we came here to
win th cup for the first time in our country and to copy what
the women teams did,” Said GSU head coach Moses Epoloto. “We
have a strong opponent El Guish of Egypt but we know how to face
them.” He added.
In Semifinal of classification matches for 9-12 positions, Inter
Club of Congo Brazzaville defeated the organizers ASVB of Niger
3-1 (25-17, 25-22, 23-25, 25-19). The winners used their
dominance by the net through the tall centers Nagampourou Ilouni
and Houssaeo Kone to win the first and second set. ASVB played
their best set in the competition when they used their big gun
Amadou Alichina to win the critical points of the third set as
they won narrowly 25-23 before Congo team regained their
dominance in the fourth set to win the match 3-1.
In the second match Tiko of Madagascar clinched 3-0 Victory over
University Calavi of Benin (26-24, 25-14, 25-18) in 54 minutes.
Tiko qualified to play for the 9th and 10th positions on
Thursday while Calavi plays for the 11th and 12 positions. The
emerging Madagascar team managed the situation early through
their dominance on the net using the skillful setter Mikela
Belesa who made some combinations that made disturbance to Benin
defense. University of Benin was very competitive in the first
set owing to the high performance of their star Lafia Tabe who
was chosen by his coach as the star of his team but they failed
thereafter to continue the same rhythm against the better
organized Madagascar team.
Photo Caption:
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Ahly of Egypt vs. FAP of
Cameroon
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Miam FAP coach
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Guish of Egypt vs. Port Douala
of Cameroon
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Mouloudia vs. University of
Rwanda
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Inter Club of Congo
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