The finals of Africa s two international club competitions will each be played in one single match in future rather than over two legs as at present, the president of the region s governing soccer body said on Wednesday. Ahmad Ahmad, head of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), said both the CAF Champions League final and the CAF Confederations Cup finals would consist of a single match, following the European model. "Huge decision that CAF took today: the (finals) will be now played on a single game," he said on Twitter without giving further details. CAF vice-president Amaju Pinnick said the details were still being ironed out. "We are working on that", he told reporters. However, supporters quickly pointed out on social media that conditions in Africa, with vast distances, poor transport infrastructure and a lack of budget airlines, are very different from Europe and the matches risked being played in empty stadiums. In 1994, CAF decided to play its annual Supercup match -- between the Champions League and Confederations Cup winners -- at a neutral venue in South Africa. Two Egyptian teams qualified and travelled thousands of kilometres to play in front of a handful of supporters in Johannesburg. CAF said that at the time that it had been a mistake to play at a neutral venue and the fixture has since been played at the home ground of the Champions League winners. This year s two-leg Champions League final ended in chaos when Wydad Casablanca of Morocco refused to play on after having a 59th-minute effort disallowed in the return leg of the final in Tunis against Esperance. Esperance were initially declared winners but that decision was overturned by CAF s executive committee which ordered a replay. Both clubs have subsequently appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), each arguing they should be declared winners.

Zamalek have signed Moroccan forward Achraf Bencharki on a three-year contract, club president Mortada Mansour revealed early on Tuesday. "Bencharki signed the contracts today. He will arrive in Egypt on Wednesday to complete the deal procedures and join us in preparation for the coming season," the White Castle s chairman told Mehwar TV channel. In January 2018, the 24-year-old Bencharki joined Saudi club Al-Hilal from Moroccan giants Wydad Athletic before moving to the French club RC Lens, where he spent the previous season on loan. Bencharki, who also plays as a left winger, made 23 league appearances with Lens last season, scoring 3 goals. Bencharki played a big role in securing the CAF Champions League title for former team Wydad Athletic in 2017, after scoring the equalizer in the final s first leg, ending the match with a 1-1 draw against Egypt s Ahly in Cairo. Hosts Wydad won the second leg 1-0 to clinch the African prestigious title. Zamalek s president also revealed that the team may send the Moroccan forward Hamid Ahddad out on loan or include him in a swap deal. "We signed four more players who are coming from the Egyptian national team squad. I ll be announcing their names after the end of the Egyptian Premier League," he added. Zamalek currently places third in the Egyptian League table with 68 points, with three matches left. The EPL matches will be resumed after the current Africa Cup of Nations, which will end on Friday. Zamalek s next game will be against Gouna FC on Sunday.

The Court of Arbitrations for Sports (CAS) announced Monday that they will rule on the appeals filed by Tunisian Esperance and Moroccan side Wydad Athletic against the African Football Confederation (CAF) on 31 July. "In its appeal, Wydad Athletic Club is mainly requesting the decision be set aside and, consequently, be declared the winner of the 2018/2019 CAF Champions League and receive the prize money allocated for the winner," read a statement released by CAS on Monday. "Esperance Sportive de Tunis, in its appeals, is challenging the decision and demanding it be considered null and void, and, consequently, be declared the winner of the 2018-2019 CAF Champions League, to keep the trophy and medals awarded on 31 May 2019, and to order XAF to pay the prize money attributed to the winner," the statement added. "The clubs and the CAF have prepared and agreed upon a procedural timetable for the CAS arbitration, with a final decision to be issued, at the latest, on 31 July 2019," Esperance were initially handed the title after Moroccan side Wydad Casablanca walked off an hour into the return match in Tunis because VAR was unavailable to judge a disallowed equaliser. Champions League title holders Esperance were leading 1-0 in the second leg and 2-1 overall when the play was halted, and after a 90-minute delay the referee awarded the match to the home side. CAF ordered last month the abandoned second leg of the CAF Champions League final between Esperance and Wydad Casablanca to be replayed at a neutral venue after this month s Cup of Nations.

Pyramids FC made their first summer acquisition after signing Egyptian Premier League top scorer Ahmed Ali from Arab Contractors, the club announced on Sunday. The 33-year-old netted 18 goals in 28 appearances with his club this season to top the league s scoring chart. He was part of Egypt s squad for their disappointing African Cup of Nations campaign, which saw the Pharaohs suffer an embarrassing last-16 exit at the hands of South Africa on home soil. Ahmed Ali won a league title and three Egypt Cups with Cairo giants Zamalek. He also had stints with Enppi and Ismaily earlier in his career. Pyramids spent big last season and at times looked like challenging Ahly and Zamalek for the league title, only to falter in the latter stages. They are on course to finish third. The club changed hands this summer, with wealthy Saudi owner Turki Al-Sheikh selling it to Emirati investor Salem Al-Shamsi. They sent out Brazilian winger Keno, their most impressive player this season, on loan to UAE side Al-Jazira and named Uganda s outgoing coach Sebastien Desabre as their new boss.

Ahly winger Ramadan Sobhi has praised the team s training camp taking place in Spain to prepare the team for the last two rounds of the Egyptian Premier League, which will be resumed after the end of the Africa Cup of Nations as well as the new season games. "Ahly s camp in Spain is world class, and the club s management provided everything. The whole team is concentrating ahead of the Zamalek and Arab Contractors games, seeking victory in order to win the EPL title," the former Stoke City winger told Ahly s official channel.

Egyptian Premier League side Maqassa FC have announced the signing of Uganda midfielder Khalid Aucho for three years. He is coming from Indian club Churchill Brothers FC Goa. The 26-year-old midfielder was part of the Uganda national team during their participation in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations currently taking place in Egypt.

Egyptian national team coach Javier Aguirre said that he has no plan to leave the Pharaohs in case of failing to win the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations title, backing Mohamed Salah to win the Ballon d Or after winning the Champions League and Premier League s top scorer. The Mexican coach described reports about his departure from Cairo as "not right" as he is now concentrating on the fight to win the African competition, according to an interview with Spanish radio station Cadena Ser.

Egypt will face South Africa in the last 16 of the African Cup of Nations on Saturday at Cairo Stadium after the group stage concluded on Tuesday. South Africa qualified for the knockout phase from Group D as one of the best four third-placed sides, collecting three points.

Egypt s national team players are always under the constant pressure of pleasing the fans and achieving their dreams at the current African Cup of Nations remarks keeper Mahmoud Gennesh, who also defended goalkeepers coach Ahmed Nagy after his recent injury. The Pharaohs third-choice keeper Gennesh was ruled out of the African Cup after injuring his Achilles tendon during a training session on Friday. Goalkeepers coach Ahmed Nagy was blamed by some people, saying the injury was due to intense over-training.

Egypt national team striker Ahmed "Kouka" Hassan has been confirmed to be out of action for a week after an injury during Sunday s game between Egypt and Uganda, the Egyptian Football Federation (EFA) announced. The 26-year-old striker sustained an ankle injury and received treatment at the 20th minute of the game after being accidently kicked by an Uganda player, but unfortunately was substituted 5 minutes later since he wasn t able to continue the game.

Already-qualified Egypt won their African Cup of Nations group with a 2-0 victory over Uganda at Cairo Stadium on Sunday, but the flattering score-line was hardly convincing for the demanding supporters following another lackluster display. Mohamed Salah and Ahmed Elmohamady, who also scored in the previous 2-0 win over DR Congo, were on target again in the first half as Egypt made it three wins out of three and maintained their run of clean sheets.

Egypt assistant coach Hany Ramzy said on Thursday that despite a 2-0 win he was not satisfied with the players performance during the DR Congo game on Wednesday night in the Pharaohs second match of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations group stage. "We achieved the victory but we are not satisfied with the performance," Ramzy told a television programme.

Although they secured an opening Africa Cup of Nations win, Egypt will still be looking to produce a more convincing display when they meet DR Congo at Cairo s International Stadium on Wednesday. The Pharaohs labored to a 1-0 victory over Zimbabwe, thanks to a first-half goal from winger Mahmoud Trezeguet, but struggled for creativity in the final third before a sell-out crowd at their traditional venue.

Liverpool winger Mohamed Salah could start against DR Congo as a striker, Pharaohs assistant coach Tito Garcia revealed on Monday. Egypt, who defeated Zimbabwe 1-0 in the Nations Cup opener, will face DR Congo on Wednesday as the Pharaohs will be looking for a win to secure their place in the competition s round of 16.

Egypt s national football team will continue their preparations for their second game in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations against the Democratic Republic of Congo, which will take place at Cairo Stadium on Wednesday. Under the helm of Mexican coach Javier Aguirre, the Pharaohs started their training session early Monday with the team s stars. The technical staff is working to fix mistakes made during Friday s opener against Zimbabwe.

Fireworks could be in store when reigning champions Chile and record 15-time winners Uruguay meet in the Copa America on Monday at Rio de Janeiro s Maracana stadium. It will be the fourth edition running of the oldest continental competition in international football in which the South American rivals meet and memories are still fresh of the controversy surrounding their stormy 2015 clash.

Egypt s undisputed number one star is ready to help the team go the extra mile and add to their record haul of seven Nations Cup trophies. Salah has made no secret of his desire to lead Egypt to glory on home soil, having played an instrumental role in steering them to the final two years ago in Gabon by scoring two goals and providing as many assists.

Many pundits wondered how Ahly winger Walid Soliman was snubbed by Egypt coach Javier Aguirre while he was enjoying a superb run of form in the first half of the season. A frustrated Soliman announced his international retirement at the time before a serious knee injury sidelined him for months. He returned to action in the latter stages of the season.