Egypt Name Squad To Face Kenya in AFCON Qualifier

Egypt coach Hossam El-Badry has named his team that will take on Kenya’s Harambee Stars in their 2021 Africa Cup of Nations Group G opener next month.

Star man Mohammed Salah from Liverpool headlines the team, along with Besiktas’ midfielder Mohammed Elmey and Portuguese side SC Braga’s Ahmed Hossan Kouka.

Other players who have been given a nod include Al Ahly’s Mahmoud Wahid, Wadi Degla’s Marwan Hamdy, Zamalek’s Ahmed Sayed Zizo, and Pyramids’ forward Islam Issa.

The Pharaohs will be captained by veteran right-back Ahmed Fathi after coach El-Bandry quashed the rumours that the armband was about to be handed to Mohammed Salah.

“The decision of allocating the armband is the responsibility of the head coach, and giving it to the most senior player has been one of the traditions of Egyptian football for many years, unlike in other places in the world,” said El-Badry in an interview with ON Sport.

Egypt will host Kenya at the Cairo International Stadium on November 15 and travel to Comoros four days later.

The 2021 tournament will be held in Cameroon and will also see 24 teams battle for the title.

Full squad:

Goalkeepers: Mohamed Awad (Zamalek), Mohamed El-Shenawy (Al Ahly), Mohamed Bassam (Talaa’ El-Geish).

Defenders: Ahmed Fathi (Al Ahly), Ragab Bakar (Pyramids FC), Omar Gaber (Pyramids FC), Mohamed Hany (Al Ahly), Ahmed Hegazi (West Bromwich Albion), Abdallah Gomaa (Zamalek), Mahmoud Wahid (Al Ahly), Mohamed Hamdy (Pyramids), Mahmoud Alaa (Zamalek), Ramy Rabia (Al Ahly), Baher Elmohamady (Ismaily), Ayman Ashraf (Al Ahly).

Midfielders: Tarek Hamed (Zamalek), Amr El-Sulya (Al Ahly), Hamdy Fathi (Al Ahly), Mohamed Elneny (Besiktas), Abdullah El-Said (Pyramids FC), Mohamed Magdy Afsha (Al Ahly), Hussein El-Shahat (Al Ahly), Ahmed Sayed Zizo (Zamalek), Mohamed Farouk (Pyramids FC), Islam Issa (Pyramids FC), Mahmoud Hassan Trezeguet (Aston Villa).

Forwards: Hossam Hassan (Smouha), Marwan Hamdy (Wadi Degla), Ahmed Gomaa (Al Masry), Ahmed Hassan Kouka (SC Braga), Mahmoud Kahraba (C.D Aves), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool).