Egypt rode an excellent and energetic start to defeat Senegal in Cairo, giving the Pharaohs a 1-0 lead heading into the second leg of their FIFA World Cup qualifying duel in the Senegalese capital of Dakar. However, a powerful Senegal attack are favored to overturn the deficit in front of a packed house at the Olympic Stadium, which will be hosting its first competitive match since being opened earlier this year.
The immediate concern for Egyptian supporters is injuries and suspension leaving starting center backs Mohamed Abdelmonem and Mahmoud Hamdy out for the second leg. Al Ahly’s Yasser Ibrahim filled in admirably when Abdelmonem came off injured, and will partner with one of the two defenders called in to replace the two players, Ali Gabr or Ahly teammate Ramy Rabia. After shutting out Senegal twice in a row on Friday and at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations final before losing in penalties, the task will be very difficult against a motivated Lions of Teranga team.
Egypt will be attempting to qualify for consecutive World Cups for the first time in their history while manager Carlos Queiroz looks to qualify his fourth national team for a fifth career coaching appearance on world football’s biggest stage. More on the Egypt camp is below.
