Ajax to raise curtain on cup

Dutch champions AFC Ajax are busy preparing up for their match against African Champions League holders Al-Ahly, which will mark the start of the 2003 UEFA-CAF Meridian Cup in Egypt.

Eight-team tournament
Ajax and Egyptian team Al-Ahly meet in the official gala match on Friday as a prelude to the eight-team tournament featuring the four best Under-17 national teams from Europe and Africa, which runs until 1 February.

Training camp
Ajax coach Ronald Koeman has been putting his players through their paces in a training camp in Portugal's Algarve region. Along with some trialists and young players, the likes of Cristian Chivu, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Andy van der Meyde have been in action in preparation for the trip to Egypt.

Round-robin format
Played in a round-robin format, the 2003 Meridian Cup will take place in Ismailya and Port Said, although the match between Ajax and Al-Alhy will be played in Cairo.

Four match days
The African teams are Egypt, Burkina Faso, Mali and Nigeria while Europe's representatives are Switzerland, France, England and Spain - the top four at last year's UEFA Under-17 Championship. Each team will play the four representatives of the opposing continent over four match days - 25, 27 and 29 January and 1 February.

Past winners
Since 2001, the tournament has been played in a format similar to golf's Ryder Cup, where points gained are added towards a continent's total. Europe won the 2001 event in Bari, Italy. In its earlier format, Nigeria were winners in 1997 and Spain in 1999.