In preparation for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, the Egyptian national team will face the Portuguese side in an international friendly match on 23 March at the Letzigrund Stadium in Zurich, Switzerland.
All eyes will be on Egypt’s Mohamed Salah and the Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo as both players displayed superb performances this season with Liverpool and Real Madrid.
The Egyptian winger took the English Premier League by storm since joining Liverpool from Italian side Roma last summer, scoring 36 goals with the Reds in all competitions so far.
Salah was on fire in Liverpool’s Saturday Premier League match, as he scored four goals in his team’s victory over Watford to take his goal tally in the Premier League to 28, leading the league’s top scorers chart.
Meanwhile, Ronaldo also scored four goals as Real Madrid thrashed Girona 6-3 in the 29th round of the Spanish La Liga.
The draw for the 2018 World Cup, held last December in Moscow, put Egypt in Group A with host country Russia, as well as Saudi Arabia and Uruguay, while Portugal will face Spain, Morocco, and Iran.
Both sides have only met twice on the international scene with the 2016 European champions claiming victories on both occasions in 1995 and 2005.
Daily News Egypt reviews the most prominent individual encounters between Egypt and Portugal’s stars ahead of their next match.
Salah v Raphaël Guerreiro
One of the most exciting encounters on Friday will occur between Egypt’s Salah and Borussia Dortmund’s Portuguese Raphaël Guerreiro.
Salah usually plays as a right winger, so he will face Portugal’s left-back Guerreiro, who played with his national team in the UEFA Euro 2016, which was one by Ronaldo and his colleagues.
Ricardo Quaresma v Mohamed Abdel-Shafi
Another clash will happen between Beşiktaş’s star Ricardo Quaresma of Portugal and Mohamed Abdel-Shafi, who plays as a left-back for the Pharaohs and the Saudi Al-Fateh SC. Manchester City’s midfielder Bernardo Silva will also square off against Abdel-Shafi.
André Gomes v Mohamed Elneny
The midfield will witness difficult encounters: between Barcelona’s André Gomes and Arsenal’s Mohamed Elneny, and between Tarek Hamed of Zamalek and William Carvalho of Lisbon’s Sporting CP.
Cristiano Ronaldo v Ahmed Fathi
All Egyptian football fans await the special encounter between the best player in the world Cristiano Ronaldo and Al Ahly’s right-back Ahmed Fathi.
Real Madrid’s Portuguese star sometimes switches his position on the pitch to play centre-forward, so he may also face West Bromwich Albion’s stunning defender Ahmed Hegazi.
André Silva v Ali Gabr
AC Milan’s forward André Silva will lead Portugal’s attacking line against Egypt, which means he will face Ali Gabr, who recently moved to West Bromwich Albion.
