LIVE: Egypt v Portugal | Friendly | March 23rd 2018 | Salah v Ronaldo
Match Info:
Date: Friday March 23, 2018
Time: 15:45 ET (Canada – USA) | 21:45 Cairo Local Time
Venue: Letzigrund Stadium, Switzerland
TV and live stream online coverage
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Two of the world’s top scores go head to head on Friday night as Mohamed Salah and Cristiano Ronaldo face off for Egypt and Portugal.
Real Madrid talisman Ronaldo has overcome a slow start to the 2017-18 season to score 18 goals in his last nine La Liga games.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSnmpUREla8
Nobody has scored more than Ronaldo in Europe’s top five leagues in 2018, though Salah’s incredible goalscoring run – including four against Watford before the international break – sees him leading the European Golden Shoe standings for the campaign.
Both forwards will want to lay down a marker ahead of the 2018 World Cup as their countries look to them to lead the way, especially with Portuguese hopes high as the Euro 2016 champions.
Egypt’s friendly against European champions Portugal is their first World Cup warm-up and they will need Salah to be at his lethal best to assure his home-based teammates that causing upsets against high-profile opponents is possible.
Salah’s goal-scoring prowess and his knack to dribble at opponents and wrong-foot them will be a concern for Portugal’s rearguard.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CKC3JRXSRo
“He’s a great player — if not the best, then one of the most important players for Liverpool,” Portugal winger Bernardo Silva told Sport 360 on Monday.
“It’s great to have some of the best footballers in the world playing against us. Of course, it’s not easy to play against him, because he’s so good, but it’s good.”
Similarly, Ronaldo would be very hard to contain at the other end. The goal-scoring machine outmuscles opponents in aerial challenges far too easily and scores from very tight angles with his lethal foot.
“Cristiano Ronaldo? No worries, we have (right-back) Ahmed Fathi,” Egypt’s assistant coach Osama Nabih quipped.
“Ronaldo seemed to hang mid-air before scoring against Paris Saint-Germain,” he added with a laugh.
Squads:
Egypt:
Goalkeepers: Essam El Hadary (Al Taawoun), Ahmed El Shenawy (Zamalek), Mohamed Awad (Ismaily), Mohamed El Shenawy (Al Ahly)
Defenders: Ahmed Fathy (Al Ahly), Ahmed El Mohamady (Aston Villa), Mohamed Abdel Shafy (Al Fateh), Ahmed Hegazi (West Brom), Omar Gaber (Los Angeles FC), Ali Gabr (West Brom), Saad Samir (Al Ahly), Ayman Ashraf (Al Ahly)
Midfielders: Mohamed Elneny (Arsenal), Abdallah Said (Al Ahly), Shikabala (Al Raed), Trezeguet (Kasimpasa), Ramadan Sobhi (Stoke City) Tarek Hamed (Zamalek), Kahraba (Al Ittihad), Hossam Ashour (Al Ahly), Amr Warda (Atromitos), Moamen Zakaria (Al Ahli), Sam Morsy (Wigan Athletic), Hussein El Shahat (Al Ain), Mohamed Magdy (ENPPI)
Forwards: Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), Marwan Mohsen (Al Ahly), Kouka (Braga)
Portugal:
Goalkeepers: Rui Patricio (Sporting CP), Beto Goztepe), Anthony Lopes (Lyon)
Defenders: Bruno Alves (Rangers), Jose Fonte (Dalian Yifang), Cedric Soares (Southampton), Raphael Guerreiro (Borussia Dortmund), Rolando (Marseille), Luis Neto (Fenerbahce), Joao Cancelo (Inter), Mario Rui (Napoli)
Midfielders: Joao Moutinho (Monaco), William Carvalho (Sporting) Joao Mario (West Ham United), Andre Gomes (Barcelona), Bernardo Silva (Manchester City), Adrien Silva (Leicester City), Manuel Fernandes (Lokomotiv Moscow) Ruben Neves (Wolves) Bruno Fernandes (Sporting CP)
Forwards: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Ricardo Quaresma (Besiktas), Andre Silva (Milan) Gelson Martins (Sporting CP), Goncalo Guedes (Valencia)
LIVE TVL: Egypt v Portugal | Friendly | March 23rd 2018
Time: 15:45 ET (Canada – USA) | 21:45 Cairo Local Time
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUSFptIfiIk
