Egypt U-20 coach Rabie Yassin named a 35-man squad for next month’s U-20 World Cup in Turkey, but there was no room for some highly rated ‘Pharaohs Abroad’. 

Egypt, who head to next month’s U-20 World Cup in Turkey as champions of Africa for the first time since 2003, have named their provisional squad for the tournament.

Egypt U-20 captain Rami Rabia is currently recovering from surgery after sustaining a knee injury earlier this month, but the Ahly centre-back has been named in the squad as he is expected to be fit for next month’s World Cup. Scouts from top European clubs are expected to keep watch on Rabia in Turkey, and Sky Sports have recently added Manchester United and Chelsea to the list of suitors.

Saint George are on the verge of becoming the first team from Ethiopia to reach the group stages of an African continental club competition.

The team from Addis Ababa beat visiting Egyptian side ENPPI 2-0 on Sunday in the first leg of their play-off match for the Confederation Cup group stages.

Shimeles Bekele opened the scoring for Saint George after just four minutes and Abebaw Butako added the second 22 minutes later.

Also on Sunday former African champions TP Mazembe had a comfortable 4-0 win over Mozambique's Liga Muculmana in Lubumbashi.

Chelsea and Manchester United have joined the chase for Egyptian wonder-kid Ramy Rabia, Sky Sports reports.

The 19-year-old centre-half has emerged as one of the hottest properties in Africa.

The Al Ahly stopper made his club debut aged just 17 and he already has five full caps for Egypt.

Rabia is set to captain Egypt at the Under-20 World Cup in Turkey next month, and a host of clubs are ready to continue monitoring him.

Borussia Dortmund, Lille and Schalke are all known to be keeping tabs on him but now Chelsea and United have joined the list of suitors.

Africa Cup of Nations star Sunday Mba will adjust his sights to the Confederation Cup this weekend as the contest for group places begins.

Mba's Nigerian club side Enugu Rangers host two-time winners CS Sfaxien of Tunisia on Sunday in the highlight of eight first leg play-off fixtures.

The 24-year-old midfielder scored the only goal of the Cup of Nations final to give the Super Eagles victory over against Burkina Faso in Soweto last February.

He also struck the winner in the shock quarter-final triumph over hot pre-tournament favourites Ivory Coast in South Africa.

Egyptian rivals Al Ahly and Zamalek have been drawn together in the group phase of the African Champions League.

The Cairo giants will face each other in Group A, alongside South Africa's Orlando Pirates and debutants AC Leopards of Congo.

Last year's losing finalists, Esperance of Tunisia, have been drawn in Group B alongside Coton Sport of Cameroon.

Sewe Sport of Ivory Coast and Recreativo de Libolo of Angola are the other teams in the group.

It is the second year running that Ahly, the reigning champions and favourites to win record-extending eighth title this year, have been placed in the same group as their neighbours Zamalek.

Al Ahly have installed Mohamed Youssef as coach until the end of the season following Hossam El Badry's resignation.

Youssef , 42, was El Badry's assistant and has never taken charge of a senior team.

He said: "Working at a great like Ahly is easy at difficult at the same time. It is easy because you have all the tools for success but the difficulty remains that failure is unacceptable."

El Badry announced on Monday he was leaving the reigning African Champions to take over Libyan side Al Ahly Tripoli.

His decision came hours after he lead the Egyptian side to the group stages of the Champions League with a 2-1 win over Tunisia's CA Bizertin on Sunday.

Moroccan rivals FUS Rabat and FAR Rabat have been drawn together in the Confederation Cup round of 16 play-off matches.

The pair, who share the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, will go head-to-head for a place in the group stage of African football's second-tier club competition.

The two-legged ties are made up of the eight winners from the Confederation Cup second round and the eight losers from the Champions League second round.

First legs will be played over the weekend of 15-17 May with the return matches taking place during the weekend of 31 May-2 June.

Goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa inspired Orlando Pirates to the group stages of the Orange Caf Champions League despite losing 1-0 to TP Mazembe in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Pirates go through by virtue of the superior goal aggregate, having beaten Mazembe 3-1 in the first leg played at the Orlando Stadium in Johannesburg.

Meyiwa saved two penalties to help a Pirates team that had skipper Lucky Lekgwathi sent off hold on till the final whistle.

The Buccaneers full-back Patrick Phungwayo was yellow carded in the 30th minute, setting the mood for what was a tense game

Ahly's coach Hossam El-Badry, who had mixed fortunes in two spells at the helm of Egypt's most successful club, will leave the club to take charge of Ahly Tripoli, the Libyan side announced on Sunday.

Ahly Tripoli's chairman Sasi Bououn said in a television interview that El-Badry has penned a one-year contract with the club, which will take effect on 1 June.

The surprise announcement came right after Egypt's Ahly reached the African Champions League group stage following a 2-1 victory over Tunisia's Bizertin in Cairo.

Although El-Badry refrained from confirming that he would take over at Ahly Tripoli, he admitted in the post-match news conference that it "would be difficult to remain in charge of Ahly"

SuperSport United have been dumped out of the CAF Confederation Cup after a 3-1 loss to Egyptian side ENPPI at the Lucas Moripe Stadium on Saturday.

South African sides have had a notoriously lackadaisical attitude to CAF competitions in the past, but SuperSport has talked up their determination to do well this year.

Maluleka had SuperSport in front on 10 minutes though with a fantastic strike from just outside the box that flew into the top corner.

But the tie turned on two goals in as many minutes for the visitors just before halftime and Ivorian forward Vincent die Foneye got Ismaily both.