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 Maâloul, Aymen Belaïd, 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 Chaâlali, Mohamed Wael Larbi, Ali Maâloul, Yassine Meriah, Idriss M’hirsi, Youssef Msakni and Ferjani Sassi

Strikers: Fakhreddine Ben Youssef, Hamdi Harbaoui, Taha Yassine Khénissi, Karim Laâribi, Naim Sliti, Ismail Sassi.