Egypt's Ahly are hoping to win their second Super Cup title

More glory beckons for Egypt when the 2005 African club champions Ahly meet Royal Armed Forces of Morocco in the African Super Cup in Cairo on Friday.

Yet influential midfielder Mohamed Barakat has been ruled out of the starting-line up as the Super Cup nears.

Barakat will not take part in the match because of fatigue, with the BBC African Footballer of the Year having played in all Egypt's matches en route to their Nations Cup triumph.

Mohamed Shawki is suffering a knee injury, defender Wael Gomaa is unfit, Angolan midfielder Gilberto is out for the rest of the season and international striker Osama Hosni needs to pass a fitness test.

Yet coach Manuel Jose is upbeat about his team's chances in light of the absences, especially Barakat's.

"We do not depend on one player and we are ready to win the Cup," the Portuguese manager added.

Ahly provided the bulk of the national squad that won a record fifth African Nations Cup title on 10 February in Cairo.

Players like Essam Al Hadari, Barakat, Gomaa, Emad Moteab and Mohamed Aboutrika all played major roles in Egypt's success and now have a chance for a third continental title inside four months.

Ahly start as overwhelming favourites against the winner of last year's African Confederations Cup, although their players have had little rest after their excursions in the Nations Cup.

Despite this fatigue, Ahly beat Koroum in Alexandria 3-0 on Saturday in the league.

Yet the club's performance at the weekend attracted criticism from coach Manuel Jose, who said he was concerned about the team's focus in the wake of Egypt's Nations Cup celebrations.

Ahly will looking for their second Super Cup title having first won it 2002.

For the Moroccan military team, it will be the first time they have played in the Super Cup and coach Mohamed Fakhir faces a swift return to Cairo.

Fakhir was in charge of Morocco's national team at the Nations Cup when the Atlas Lions failed to score or get past the first round.

In the Moroccan league, FAR Rabat remain five points behind leaders Wydad Casablanca.

Friday's game marks the 14th Super Cup match since it was first introduced by the Confederation of African Football in 1993.