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 L�opards de Dolisie), Carof Bakoua (AC L�opards de Dolisie), Gloire Yila Dibata (L�opards de Dolisie), Imou�l� Ngampio (JST), Beranger Itoua (Cara), Saboukoulou (Patronage Sainte-Anne), Guy Ndanga (JSP), Baudry Marvin (Zulte Waregem, Belgium).
Midfielders: Dua Stanislas Ankira (AC L�opards 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), Dor� Ferebory (SCO Angers, France), Thievy Bifouma (Bastia, France), Prince Vini Ibara (Club Bizertin, Tunisia), Sylv�re Ganvoula Mboussy (Waterloo, Belgium).
