Tunisia v Egypt | Match Preview | 2019 AFCON Qualifiers
Egypt start the AFCON 2019 qualifiers campaign against North African neighbors Tunisia on June 11.
Egypt, runners-up of the 2017 finals, have been drawn in Group J alongside Tunisia, Niger and Swaziland.
Egypt coach Hector Cuper has shown confidence ahead of the match against Tunisia.
“We are going to Tunisia to win. I trust my players’ enthusiasm and determination. We know that preparing players will not be easy because the season ended for European-based players,” Cuper told a press conference on Sunday amid the start of the preparatory camp for the game.
“We want to use the experience the players won from the last edition of the Africa Cup of Nations,” he added.
Cuper press conference on Sunday
Trezeguet out of service
Egypt midfielder Mahmoud Trezeguet will not be available due to injury.
The Anderlecht man left Egypt’s training camp in Alexandria after picking up a foot injury, the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) said in a brief statement on Tuesday.
It was not immediately clear if Egypt coach Hector Cuper will call up a replacement before the team fly to Tunisia.
Trezeguet has been one of Egypt’s key players since making his debut little more than three years ago, with his commitment and work rate earning him a regular place in the team’s starting line-up.
He has earned 18 international caps, including six at the Nations Cup in Gabon earlier this year where Egypt reached the final before losing 2-1 to Cameroon in the final.
Interview with Cuper in the training camp
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sR6H2gzMY4
Interview with Saad Samir:
https://youtu.be/R_40HjF9ma8
Interview with Sam Morsi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=By6MJAoWvdI
Interview with Ahmed El Sheikh
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BY4r5n8pHYA
Egypt full squad
Goalkeepers: Essam El-Hadary (Degla), Sherif Ekrami (Ahly), Ahmed El-Shenawy (Zamalek)
Defenders: Ahmed Elmohamady (Hull City, England), Mohamed Abdel-Shafi (Ahly Jeddah, KSA), Omar Gaber (Basel, Swiss), Karim Hafez (Lens, France), Ahmed Hegazy (Ahly), Saad Samir (Ahly), Rami Rabia (Ahly), Ali Gabr (Zamalek), Ahmed Fathi (Ahly)
Midfielders: Mohamed Elneny (Arsenal, England), Tarek Hmaed (Zamalek), Mostafa Fathi (Zamalek), Mahmoud Kahraba Abdel-Moneim (Zamalek), Hossam Ashour (Ahly), Abdallah El-Said (Ahly),Ramadan Sobhi (Stoke City, England),Amr Warda (PAOK, Greece), Sam Morsi (Wigan, England)
Strikers: Amr Gamal (Ahly), Ahmed El-Sheikh (Maqassa),Mohamed Salah (Roma, Italy)
Tunisia new coach Nabil Maloul has announced the final squad for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations against Egypt on 11 June.
The squad, that mainly included Europe-based players, has dropped Sunderland midfielder Wahbi Khazri who is getting married.
Striker Ahmed Akaichi has also missed the squad due to technical reasons.
Egypt’s Ahly left winger Ali Maloul has been called-up for the game.
The group champions will make it to the tournament stage in Cameroon in January 2019, along with the three best teams from among those taking second place in the group stage.
The full squad is announced as follows:
Goalkeepers: Ben Cherifia, Farouk Ben Mustapha and Rami Jridi
Defenders: Ali Maloul, Aymen Belad, Syam Ben Youssef, Zied Boughattas, Rami Bedoui, Khalil Chammam, Chamseddine Dhaouadi and Hamza Mathlouthi
Midfielders: Mohamed Amine Ben Amor, Maher Bessghaier, Mohamed Slim Ben Othman, Chaylane Chalali, Mohamed Wael Larbi, Ali Maloul, Yassine Meriah, Idriss Mhirsi, Youssef Msakni and Ferjani Sassi
Strikers: Fakhreddine Ben Youssef, Hamdi Harbaoui, Taha Yassine Khnissi, Karim Laribi, Naim Sliti, Ismail Sassi.
