LIVE: Egypt v Kenya | AFCON – QUALIFICATION GROUP G

Match info:

Time: 18:00 CLT – 11:00 ET Canada-USA
Venue: Borg El Arab Stadium, Alexandria

Egypt will be looking to make light of their absences and get their African Nations Cup qualifying campaign to a winning start when they host Kenya at Alexandria’s Borg El-Arab Stadium on Thursday.

The Pharaohs are overwhelming favourites to finish on top of a group that also includes Comoros and Togo but they will have to do without some key players when they entertain Kenya, including talisman Mohamed Salah.

The Liverpool man is nursing an ankle injury that he aggravated in the 3-1 Premier League win over Manchester City, in which he headed home the second for his sixth goal of the season.

Without him, Egypt often struggle for firepower in the final third. They also find it difficult to carve out openings without Salah’s trademark runs behind the defence.

However, coach Hossam El-Badry, who will make his competitive debut having overseen two unconvincing friendly victories over Botswana and Liberia, is adamant Egypt can fill the void left by Salah.

“He is not fit to play with the team … but we have four players in his position and they are capable of replacing him,” he told the pre-match news conference.

El-Badry will also miss another influential winger in Ramadan Sobhi and striker Mostafa Mohamed, who are on international duty with Egypt’s U23 side at the Nations Cup on home soil.

Sporting Braga frontman Ahmed Kouka and Ahly defensive midfielder Hamdi Fathi are also out due to injury.

Egypt’s lineup:
Mohamed El Shennawi – Abdalla Gomaa, Ahmed Hegazi, Mahmoud Alaa, Ahmed Fathi, Mohamed Elneny, Tarek Hamed, Mahmoud Trezeguet, Mohamed “Afsha” Magdi, Hussein El-Shahat, Hossam Hassan