Salah, 3 newcomers and an L1 player to get Egypt out of last place!

In a group D of the CAN 2023 qualifiers where the four teams are tied, Egypt, last, will tackle an important double confrontation against Malawi on March 24 (in Cairo) and March 28 (in Lilongwe).

In anticipation of this deadline, the coach of the Pharaohs, Rui Vitoria, unveiled this Saturday his list of 24 players retained. In the absence of the injured Gunner Mohamed El-Neny, we find the usual headliners like Mohamed Salah, Ahmed Hegazy, Mohamed El Shennawy, Omar Marmoush and the Nantes striker, Mostafa Mohamed.

🔴 | ٢٤ لاعبًا في قائمة منتخب مصر استعدادًا لمباراتي مالاوي 🇪🇬

أعلن الجهاز الفني لمنتخب مصر الأول بقيادة روي فيتوريا قائمة اللاعبين النهائية لمعسكر شهر مارس ويتخلله مباراتين أمام مالاوي يومي ٢٤ و ٢٨ مارس الجاري في الجولة الثالثة و الرابعة للتصفيات المؤهلة لكأس أمم أفريقيا ٢٠٢٤. pic.twitter.com/0KAqYJZfBS

— EFA.eg (@EFA) March 18, 2023

Three newcomers have also been called up for the first time: right-back Hesham Salah (El Ittihad) and the two residents of Al Ahly, Marwan Ateya (defensive midfielder) and Ahmed Abdelkader (winger). Author of a hat-trick Friday in the African Champions League with the Cairo giant, winger Mahmoud ‘Kahraba’ is making his big comeback, more than 3 years after his last cape, at the end of 2019.

Qualifying starts badly

Preselected, the expatriates Ahmed Hamdy (CF Montreal) and Sam Morsy (Ipswich Town) do not, however, integrate the final list, as does winger Mahmoud Trezeguet (Trabzonspor), injured. After their initial victory against Guinea (1-0) to start these qualifiers, the Egyptians, vice-champions in title, complicated the task by losing 2-0 in Ethiopia. This poor performance, with a status of last of the group at stake, had contributed to the dismissal of Ehab Galal from the position of coach.

The list of Egypt

Guardians: Mohamed El Shennawy (Ahly), Ahmed El Shennawy (Pyramids FC), Mohamed Sobhi (Zamalek).

Defenders: Mohamed Hany, Mohamed Abdel-Moneim (Ahly), Hesham Salah (Ittihad of Alexandria), Mohamed Hamdi, Ali Gabr, Osama Galal (Pyramids FC), Ahmed Hegazy (Ittihad Jeddah, Saudi Arabia), Ahmed Fattouh (Zamalek).

Midfielders: Tarek Hamed (Ittihad Jeddah, Saudi Arabia), Emam Ashour (FC Midtjylland, Denmark), Mahmoud Hamada (Pharco FC), Marwan Atteya, Hamdi Fathi, Ahmed Abdel-Kader (Ahly), Ahmed Sayed Zizo (Zamalek), Mostafa Fathi ( Pyramids FC), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool, England).

Forwards: Ahmed ‘Kouka’ Hassan (Alanyaspor, Turkey), Omar Marmoush (Wolfsburg, Germany), Mostafa Mohamed (Nantes, France), Mahmoud ‘Kahraba’ Abdel-Moneim (Ahly).