Egypt v Botswana | Match Preview | Friendly Game

Egypt began on Tuesday their preparations for a friendly game against Botswana on 14 October as they start their reign under new coach Hossam El-Badry.
The Pharaohs held their first training session after El-Badry, who led Cairo giants Ahly to four Egyptian Premier League titles and an African Champions League crown, took charge last month.

He succeeded Mexican boss Javier Aguirre, who was dismissed following an embarrassing African Cup of Nations campaign which saw Egypt lose to South Africa at home in the round of 16.

“The coach sat down with the players and spoke with them about the main objectives in the coming period, which are mainly qualifying and competing for the African Nations Cup title and reaching the World Cup,” team spokesman Mohamed Barakat, a former Egyptian international, told a news conference.

Egypt are due to host Botswana in Cairo as they gear up for 2021 Nations Cup qualifying campaign, which kicks off next month.

The record seven-time African champions will play in Group G which also includes Kenya, Comoros and Togo.

Egypt will miss star forward Mohamed Salah against Botswana after El-Badry opted to rest him.

Egypt’s full 23-man squad:

Goalkeepers: Mohamed El-Shennawi (Ahly), Mohamed Awwad (Zamalek), and Mohamed Bassam (Talae El-Geish).

Defenders: Ragab Bakar (Pyramids FC), Ahmed Fathi (Ahly), Mahmoud Alaa (Zamalek), Baher Elmohamady (Ismaili), Ahmed Hegazi (West Bromwich), Ayman Ashraf (Ahly), Abdallah Gomaa (Zamalek), and Mohamed Hamdy (Pyramids FC).

Midfielders: Tarek Hamed (Zamalek), Amr Al-Sulaya (Ahly), Hamdy Fathi (Ahly), Abdallah El-Said (Pyramids FC), Mohamed “Afsha” Magdy (Ahly), Hussein El-Shahat (Ahly), Omar Gaber (Pyramids FC), Mahmoud ‘Trezeguet’ Hassan (Aston Villa), and Mohamed Elneny (Besiktas).

Forwards: Hossam Hassan (Smouha), Omar El-Said (Zamalek), and Ahmed ‘Kouka’ Hassan (SC Braga).