Underdogs Al Ahly look to give Egypt a lift in Fifa Club World Cup after Afcon final blow

The annotated water bottle, handed to Egypt’s goalkeeper Mohamed ‘Gabaski’ Abou Gabal shortly before he faced his third penalty shootout in four matches, was set to become a museum piece.

An encyclopedia of information, full of names and notes about opposition penalty-takers’ techniques, had been taped to the water bottle to help enhance the Pharaohs’ proven expertise in shoot-outs. As Gabaski clutched it, half-concealed under a towel, he seemed to have an extra weapon in the tie-breaker to decide the destiny of the 33rd Afcon.

Against expectation, Egypt lost the shoot-out and their bid to become African champions for an eighth time. There were tears, from Mohamed Salah, their totem, from Gabaski, the substitute-turned-superstar, and clear symptoms of exhaustion amid the heartbreak.

But there was also an instinct to recognise that the better team, Senegal, were lifting the trophy, that perhaps Egypt had relied too heavily on their capacity to second-guess all-comers - as the meticulous notes about the techniques of each Senegalese penalty-taker on that water bottle suggested - and on their rigorous defensive application.

Ahead of next month’s play-off against Senegal for a place at the World Cup, Egypt will have time to dwell on that. Right now, several of the Afcon silver-medalists must urgently turn their minds to the next assignment. The national team may have been dealt a blow to morale but Egyptian football will be reminded this evening that, at club level, it remains the chief flag-bearer for the African continent.

Were it not for the Afcon, Al Ahly would be going into Tuesday’s Club World Cup semi-final against Palmerias looking stronger and more like the serial African champions they are.

As Al Ahly’s manager