Zest for women’s soccer grows in Middle East despite conservative opposition
Zesalwan, a newly formed club formed in 2012 out of the merger of several Egyptian first-division teams including the women’s champions, took off in February. It was one of the first new teams in the country and took the country by storm – but it’s unclear how quickly the club will reach success.
By Cara Coyle
Updated Feb. 14, 2014 11:24 p.m. ET
Zesalwan, the newly formed club that merged several of the country’s first division teams into a women’s league, took off in February.
The club’s first match, a 4-0 victory over Cairo University on Feb. 4, set the tone for what’s likely to be a historic run in women’s soccer’s most conservative state.
Zesalwan’s first game: Zesalwan 4, Cairo University 0
Zesalwan, a newly formed club formed in 2012 out of the merger of several Egyptian first-division teams including the women’s champions, took off in February. It was one of the first new teams in the country and took the country by storm — and it was initially unthinkable.
Zesalwan’s women’s soccer team won the national championship under former national team coach Hana Othman with the team scoring a record-setting 38 goals in the tournament.
One of Zesalwan’s coaches, Huda Elsabgholam, who was a member of the national women’s team and helped prepare it for the tournament, was thrilled.
“Today was the happiest day of my life, I have to say,” she told Sports Illustrated. “When I see the success of the women’s team, I think about the dreams I had in the past, I think about the struggles in my life.”
“I always dreamed to take my team to the national championship. I thought this will be the start for the team
