Egypt fly to South Africa for a friendly game

Egypt national team will fly to South Africa on Thursday for a friendly against the Bafana Bafana on�6 September as part of preparations for the 2018 World Cup qualifiers.

Last week, the pharaohs held a closed camp for four days in Alexandria before tying Guinea 1-1 in a friendly on Tuesday.

Egypt’s first match in the qualifiers is set against Congo on 3 October.

In late June, World Cup-hungry Egypt were drawn in a tight group at the qualifiers’ final round alongside Ghana, Congo and Uganda.

Seven-time African champions, Egypt has made only two World Cup appearances, both in Italy in 1934 and 1990.

The Egyptian crew included 26-man-squad:

Goalkeepers: Essam El-Hadary (Wadi Degla), Ali Lotfi (ENPPI)

Defenders: Ahlmed Fathi, Rami Rabia (Ahly), Ahmed Dwidar, Ali Gabr (Zamalek), Hamada Toulba (Masry), Ayman Ashraf (Smouha), Ahmed Elmohamady (Hull City, England), Mohamed Abdel-Shafi (Ahly Jeddah, KSA), Omar Gaber (Basel, Switzerland)

Midfielders: Walid Soliman, Abdalla El-Saied (Ahly), Ibrahim Salah, Islam Gamadl, Mostafa Fathi (Zamalek), Mahmoud Hassan Trezeguet (Anderlecht, Belgium), Mohamed El-Neny (Arsenal, England), Mohamed Salah (Roma, Italy), Ramadan Sobhi (Stoke City, England), Sam Morsi (Wigan, England)

Strikers: Hossam Paolo (Smouha), Bassem Morsi (Zamalek)