Homayed: “I was living inside my childhood dream”

When Orlen Wisla Plock take the court for their EHF European League Men first-leg quarter-final against GOG, it will be the first match in this stage of an international competition for the Polish side since 1997.

It is therefore an entirely new experience for the current lineup — and it comes in a season where everything is new for one member of the team: Abdelrahman Mohamed Homayed.

The 21-year-old Egyptian goalkeeper is playing his first season in Europe and therefore his first European cup campaign. He was not even born when Plock last contested this stage of a European cup competition.

Homayed transferred to Plock midway through the season, in February 2021, coming in to replace Ivan Stevanovic.

“It’s a new experience for me and I was looking forward to it,” says Homayed, reflecting on his first months in Poland — an adaptation that comes with some significant adjustments for players moving so far from home. “No doubt it was difficult at the beginning but it’s getting better every day and my teammates are making it easier to adapt to this new life.”

“Since I started playing handball, my dream was to play in Europe”

Homayed’s arrival in Poland came after he was part of the Egypt squad at the World Championship in January. As an option behind the highly experienced Karim Hendawy and 25-year-old Mohamed Eltayar, Homayed was not part of the core 16 but was with the team throughout the preparation and campaign.

In February, when Homayed was fresh from the once-in-a-lifetime experience of the home World Championship — albeit in far different circumstances from what was expected given restrictions surrounding Covid-19 — and back with his club, the call came from Plock.

“First the club contacted the Egyptian Federation then contacted my home club, Al Ahly. Since I started playing handball, my dream was to play in Europe, so when this contact happened it was like a dream coming true,” says Homayed.

So Homayed arrived at Plock, where he works most notably alongside Polish keeper Adam Morawski. “Adam is a great friend of mine and he is a great goalkeeper. Playing by his side made me gain a lot of experience and learn a lot from him. It’s a pleasure to play by his side,” says Homayed.

Plock coach Xavi Sabate during an EHF European League match.

At Plock, Homayed is also adding to his experience working with Spanish coaches. He began in the national team with Roberto Parrondo, while Xavi Sabate is coach of Plock.

“Spain is one of the top countries in handball so it’s not a surprise to have a lot of Spanish coaches dominating the top teams and national teams. Xavi Sabate and Roberto Parrondo are great coaches — they both know how to deal with the players psychologically and they care about the tiny details. I guess this is what makes them different than any coaches I’ve dealt with.”

“A game that I will always remember”

After arriving in February, Homayed played his first EHF European League game on 2 March, against Chekhovskie Medvedi.  

“The first match in the European League to play in was against Chekhovskie Medvedi. It was like I was daydreaming — I was living inside my childhood dream. I remembered everything I’ve overcome and everything that I sacrificed for this moment and I felt that it was all worth it — it all paid off in this moment. It was one of the most challenging matches I’ve ever played and a game that I will always remember.”

Although Plock lost the match by two goals, 25:27, it was not enough to ruin their chance of a first-place finish in group A. The defeat against Chekhov was only the team’s second in the European League season, while they won eight games.

“I am proud to be the only Egyptian left in the competition”

Homayed was not the only Egyptian in the EHF European League this season. Ahmed Hesham and Mohamed Sanad both reached the Last 16 with Nimes, as did Hendawy with his club HC Eurofarm Pelister. Champions League 2018 winner with Montpellier, Mohamed Mamdouh, was in the group phase with his side Dinamo Bucuresti.

So is there any teasing regarding the fact that Homayed is the only Egyptian left vying for the European League title?

“We are more like a family in the national team. We go through different challenges and we support each other through it. I am proud to be the only Egyptian left in the competition and I wish for them the best of luck in every challenge they face,” says Homayed.  

Homayed with Ahmed Hesham (Nimes) at the Youth World Championship 2019, celebrating victory in the last 16 when Homayed was named Player of the Match. Photo: IHF

While he is part of the senior national squad with all of the Egyptians in the European League 2020/21, Homayed has special history with Hesham — the two were key players in Egypt’s first ever Youth World Championship win in 2019. Hesham was named MVP and Homayed was the All-star Team goalkeeper after making the highest number of saves at the event in North Macedonia, with 87.

Both were also part of Egypt’s Junior World Championship squad that same summer, earning the bronze medal at that event. Homayed was the second keeper in the U21 team but contributed 33 saves.

“Now we can dream”

Handball fans will find it hard not to draw an association between Homayed playing against a Danish team in the European League quarter-finals. In a memorable match decided after two periods of extra time and then penalty shots, Denmark eliminated Egypt from their home World Championship in January in exactly the quarter-final stage.

That Denmark squad featured several GOG players: Mathias Gidsel, Anders Zachariassen, Morten Olsen and Emil Jakobsen. GOG are also back in the quarter-finals of a European competition after a lengthy absence, having last reached this stage in the EHF Cup in 2005/06.

For both clubs, proceeding to the EHF Finals means a lot — but of course, there can only be one winner.

“It’s a new phase in the championship and I hope things goes as we wish. We’ve worked so hard for reaching this phase and we aim for reaching more. We will do everything we are capable of to reach the final four now we can dream,” concludes Homayed.