Following a disappointing 2018 FIFA World Cup campaign, Egypt prepares for clashing with Niger on 8 September in their second 2019 CAF African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier.
Egypt’s manager Javier Aguirre has announced on Wednesday his final 24-man squad that will play against Niger. Egypt were drawn in group J of the 2019 AFCON qualifying campaign alongside Tunisia, Swaziland, and Niger.
The Pharaohs lost 1-0 to the Carthage Eagles of Tunisia in their first qualification game, thus putting them at the bottom of the table as Niger and Swaziland drew 0-0.
Aguirre decided to drop Al Ahly goalkeeper Sherif Ekramy and winger Ahmed Fathy, and Al-Ahli Saudi’s midfielder Abdullah El-Saeed, and winger Mohamed Abdel-Shafy, whom all participated in 2018 World Cup.
Liverpool’s star Mohamed Salah will lead the squad against Niger, after excluding Fathy and Ekramy by the Mexican manager. Despite Salah’s current dispute with the Egyptian Football Association (EFA), the international forward will wear the national team’s captain badge. Salah is a milestone player in the Egyptian team and contributed to its qualification to the World Cup.
The squad also included another 12 foreign-based players, most notably Mahmoud Trezeguet, Ramadan Sobhi, Ahmed Hegazi, and Amr Warda.
Final 24-man squad in full:
Goalkeepers: Mohamed El-Shennawy (Al Ahly), Mahmoud Ginsh (Zamalek), and Mohamed Awad (Ismaily)
Defenders: Ayman Ashraf (Al Ahly), Ahmed Hegazi (West Brom), Ali Gabr (Pyramids), Ahmed Elmohamady (Aston Villa), Baher Mohamdy (Ismaily), Amro Tarek (Orlando City) Mohamed Hany (Al Ahly), and Mohamed Hamdy (Pyramids).
Midfielders: Tarek Hamed (Zamalek), Sam Morsy (Wigan), Mohamed Elneny (Arsenal), Ramadan Sobhi (Huddersfield), Mahmoud Trezeguet (Kasimpasa), Amr Warda (PAOK), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), Mohamed Sadek (Ismaily), Islam Gaber (Dakhlia), Hussien El Shahat (Al Ain), and Ali Ghazal (Vancouver Whitecaps).
Forwards: Salah Mohsen (Al Ahly), Ahmed Gomaa (Al-Masry), and Hossam Hassan (Smouha), and Ahmed Hassan (Olympiacos Piraeus).
