Congo v Egypt | Match Preview | World Cup qualifying game
Match Info:
Stadium: New Kintele Stadium Brazzaville (CGO)
Time: 9 Oct 2016-15:30 ET Canada-USA
World Cup Qualifying Round 3 – Group E
The Pharaohs face Congo in their opening Group G clash before hosting Ghana, their main challengers, in November.
In June, World Cup-hungry Egypt were drawn alongside Ghana, Congo and Uganda.
Egypt coach Hector Cuper has named his 24-man squad for the Congo game, including nine foreign-based players.
Egypt 24-man squad:
Goalkeepers: Essam El-Hadary (Wadi Degla), Ali Lotfi (ENPPI), Ahmed El-Sehnawy (Zamalek), Sherif Ekramy (Ahly)
Defenders: Ahlmed Fathi, Ahmed Hegazy (Ahly), Islam Gamal, Ahmed Dwidar, Ali Gabr (Zamalek), Hamada Toulba (Masry), Ahmed Elmohamady (Hull City, England), Mohamed Abdel-Shafi (Ahly Jeddah, KSA)
Midfielders: Abdalla El-Saied (Ahly), Ibrahim Salah, Tarek Hamed, Mostafa Fathi (Zamalek), Mahmoud Hassan Trezeguet (Excelsior Mouscron, Belgium), Mohamed El-Neny (Arsenal, England), Mohamed Salah (Roma, Italy), Ramadan Sobhi (Stoke City, England), Omar Gaber (Basel – Swiss), Mahmoud Kahraba (Ittihad Jeddah – KSA)
Strikers: Ahmed Hassan “Kouka” (Braga, Portugal), Bassem Morsi (Zamalek)
Cuper believes an opening win would boost his side before they meet heavyweights Ghana and Uganda in the other Group G games.
“I’m optimistic regarding my team’s chances in the World Cup qualifiers,” the Argentinean boss told a news conference previewing the match.
Congo
Congo coach Pierre Lechantre is not pessimistic either, although Ghana and Egypt seem easily the strongest sides in the group.
“We will face very strong teams, but Congo have a chance,” said the Frenchman, who guided Cameroon to the 2000 Africa Cup of Nations title.
Congo coach Pierre Lechantre has announced a 23-man squad for the 2018 World Cup home qualifier against Egypt.
Congo will host the Pharaohs in Group E opener on Sunday, with both sides keen to get their qualifying campaign off to a winning start.
The roster included eight foreign-based players, including key stars Thievy Bifouma, who plays as a striker for France’s Bastia, Wydad Casablanca’s midfielder Fabrice Nguessi Ondama and Club Bizertin’s striker Prince Vini Ibara.
In June, World-Cup-hungry Egypt were drawn alongside Ghana, Congo and Uganda. Their main challengers are Ghana, who inflicted a painful 7-3 aggregate defeat on the Pharaohs in a qualifying playoff for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
The seven-time African champions made only two World Cup appearances, both in Italy in 1934 and 1990.
Congo’s full squad:
Goalkeepers: Wolfrigon Mongondza (Diables Noirs), Pavelh Ndzila (Etoile du Congo), Gildas Mouyabi (La Mancha).
Defenders: Boris Moubhio (AC Léopards de Dolisie), Carof Bakoua (AC Léopards de Dolisie), Gloire Yila Dibata (Léopards de Dolisie), Imouélé Ngampio (JST), Beranger Itoua (Cara), Saboukoulou (Patronage Sainte-Anne), Guy Ndanga (JSP), Baudry Marvin (Zulte Waregem, Belgium).
Midfielders: Dua Stanislas Ankira (AC Léopards de Dolisie), Kessel Tsiba Moukassa (Diables Noirs), Cedrick Olongo (BNG), Alexandre Obambo (AS Cheminots), Jordan Massengo (Union Saint Gilloise, Belgium), Fabrice Nguessi Ondama (Wydad Casablanca, Morocco).
Strikers: Ismael Ankobo (AS Kondzo), Delarge Dzon (Osmanlisport, Turkey), Doré Ferebory (SCO Angers, France), Thievy Bifouma (Bastia, France), Prince Vini Ibara (Club Bizertin, Tunisia), Sylvère Ganvoula Mboussy (Waterloo, Belgium).
