ENPPI will play in Mali despite country’s troubles

After an urgent meeting on Tuesday, ENPPI’s president Mohamed Badr revealed the club’s board has agreed to hold Sunday’s African Confederation Cup round 16 (second leg) clash against Malian side CO Bamako in Mali, despite the country’s troubles. "We asked the players and the technical staff if they want to play in Mali or not and they all agreed to travel," ENPPI’s president told Ahram Online on Tuesday. "The delegation will travel in a private plane on Saturday and will leave Mali on Monday," he added. The club’s board had asked the Confederation of African Football (CAF) that the game be played in Cairo or a third country, but the CAF rejected ENPPI’s demand. The western African country has been undergoing internal troubles for several months, most recently a military counter-coup which took place last Monday. Ahly players who had been in Mali for a CAF champions league encounter were stranded in the capital Bamako for four days last week, before returning to Cairo in an Egyptian military plane. ENPPI defeated CO Bamako 3-1 in the first leg in Cairo.