Record seven-time champions Egypt on Friday were dealt a major blow as captain Mohamed Salah was ruled out of two Africa Cup of Nations games with a hamstring injury, while holders Senegal and Cape Verde qualified for the last 16.
The Egyptian Football Association said in a statement that Liverpool star Salah would not return for his country unless they reach the quarter-finals at the tournament.
The 31-year-old came off late in the first half of the Pharaohs’ 2-2 draw with Ghana on Thursday.
Photo: AFP
He would sit out tomorrow’s final group game against Cape Verde and any last-16 tie that would follow that.
After drawing their opening two games, Egypt need to beat Cape Verde to be guaranteed of advancing in second place in Group B. That would tee up a last-16 tie in San-Pedro on Jan. 28, while they could also potentially qualify as one of the best third-placed teams.
Salah would therefore only have a chance to feature again at the competition if Egypt make it to a quarter-final on Feb. 2 or 3.
Photo: AP
Senegal, who beat Salah’s Egypt on penalties in the final of the previous Africa Cup of Nations, clinched a spot in the next round with one group game to spare thanks to a 3-1 win over Cameroon in Yamoussoukro.
Ismaila Sarr of Ligue 1 team Olympique de Marseille put the reigning champions ahead early on and later set up Habib Diallo to make it 2-0.
Jean-Charles Castelletto pulled one back, but Senegal were not to be denied a convincing victory and talisman Sadio Mane put the outcome beyond doubt late on.
Photo: AFP
Senegal have a maximum six points after two Group C matches, while Cameroon have only one and their hopes of advancing to the last 16 are in the balance.
“I remember that in 2017 we lost to Cameroon in the quarter-finals, so during this match we did everything to win,” Sarr said.
In Group C, Guinea, again missing star striker Serhou Guirassy, beat The Gambia 1-0 at the same venue thanks to Aguibou Camara’s second-half goal.
The result leaves Guinea second in the section on four points, meaning they need just a draw against Senegal in their next match to guarantee qualification for the last 16, while a victory would see them progress as group winners.
Cameroon and The Gambia are to meet each other next and can both hope to at least progress as one of the four best third-placed sides.
Earlier, Cape Verde became the first team to qualify for the last 16 thanks to a convincing 3-0 win over Mozambique in Abidjan.
Former Manchester United forward Bebe set the Atlantic Ocean island nation on their way with a remarkable first-half free-kick from 40m at Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium.
Captain Ryan Mendes doubled their lead just after halftime and Kevin Pina wrapped up the win with a stunning strike midway through the second half.
Cape Verde’s biggest ever victory in the tournament left them on six points from two games and means they are now certain to top Group B after they beat Ghana 2-1 in their opening game.
“I don’t know how far we can go. Now we are into the last 16 and we just need to keep working as we have been,” Mendes said. “We know it won’t be easy, but we believe in ourselves and in our work.”
Cape Verde are to play in Abidjan in a last-16 tie against a third-placed team on Jan. 29.
Mozambique, appearing at their fifth Africa Cup of Nations, have still never won a match in 14 attempts at the tournament.
Meanwhile, Tanzania fired coach Adel Amrouche after he was banned for eight matches and fined US$10,000 over comments about Morocco, a Confederation of African Football official told reporters.
His dismissal was confirmed by the Tanzanian Football Federation, with Hemed Suleiman promoted from assistant coach to caretaker boss for the rest of their campaign.
The Group F outsiders lost 3-0 to Morocco on Wednesday and still have to play Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Algeria-born Amrouche said that Moroccan officials within the Confederation of African Football were deciding who referees matches involving the senior men’s national team and the time the games begin.
Shohei Ohtani and Clayton Kershaw on Friday joined their Los Angeles Dodgers teammates in sticking their fists out to show off their glittering World Series rings at a ceremony. “There’s just a lot of excitement, probably more than I can ever recall with the Dodger fan base and our players,” manager Dave Roberts said before Los Angeles rallied to beat the Detroit Tigers 8-5 in 10 innings. “What a way to cap off the first two days of celebrations,” Roberts said afterward. “By far the best opening week I’ve ever experienced. I just couldn’t have scripted it any better.” A choir in the
The famously raucous Hong Kong Sevens are to start today in a big test for a shiny new stadium at the heart of a major US$3.85 billion sports park in the territory. Officials are keeping their fingers crossed that the premier event in Hong Kong’s sporting and social calendar goes off without a hitch at the 50,000-seat Kai Tak Stadium. They hope to entice major European soccer teams to visit in the next few months, with reports in December last year saying that Liverpool were in talks about a pre-season tour. Coldplay are to perform there next month, all part of Hong Kong’s
Shohei Ohtani, Teoscar Hernandez and Tommy Edman on Thursday smashed home runs to give the reigning World Series champions the Los Angeles Dodgers a 5-4 victory over Detroit on the MLB’s opening day in the US. The Dodgers, who won two season-opening games in Tokyo last week, raised their championship banner on a day when 28 clubs launched the season in the US. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts shuffled his batting lineup with all four leadoff hitters finally healthy as Ohtani was followed by Mookie Betts, then Hernandez and Freddie Freeman in the cleanup spot, switching places with Hernandez. “There’s a Teoscar tax to
Marcus Rashford’s first goals for Aston Villa on Sunday inspired a 3-0 win against Preston North End that sent his side into the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time in 10 years. Rashford struck twice in the second half at Deepdale to end Preston’s stubborn resistance before Jacob Ramsey wrapped up Villa’s long-awaited return to the last four. Villa are to face Crystal Palace — 3-0 winners at Fulham on Saturday — in the semi-finals at Wembley Stadium in London. Revitalized since joining Villa on loan from Manchester United during the January transfer window, Rashford is beginning to show the form that
RSS