ASWAN: Egypt began their countdown to defending the African Nations Cup title with a 3-0 friendly drubbing of fellow qualifiers Namibia Saturday.
The Pharaohs play Mali next Thursday in the United Arab Emirates and Angola in Portugal three days later before opening their Nations Cup Group C campaign against Cameroon on January 22 in Ghana.
Amr Zaki, from Cairo club Zamalek, scored twice in the second half of a match predictably dominated by the five-time champions in the southern town and captain Ahmed Hassan, from Belgian outfit Anderlecht, was also on target.
Namibia, considered the no-hopers of the 16-team Cup, were playing for the first time under Dutch coach Arie Schans after the death of Ben Bamfuchile, a Zambian who guided the south-west nation into the finals.
Wasteful Egypt replaced ineffective midfielder Omar Gamal with star playmaker Mohamed Aboutraika just before half-time and his impact was almost immediate.
A back heel from Hosni Abd Rabou set up Zaki for the 54th-minute opening goal, Hassan drilled a low shot into the net with 12 minutes left and his free kick was nodded in by Zaki on the stroke of full-time. -AFP
