LIVERPOOL AND EGYPT star Mohamed Salah has been ruled out of the next two Africa Cup of Nations games with a hamstring injury, his country’s football association said Friday.
“Tests on Mohamed Salah, the captain of the Egypt national team, proved that he suffered a hamstring injury and will miss the next two matches of the team at the AFCON,” the Egyptian FA said in a statement.
Salah, 31, came off late in the first half of the Pharaohs’ 2-2 draw with Ghana on Thursday.
He will therefore sit out Monday’s final group game against Cape Verde and any last-16 tie that would follow that.
After drawing their opening two games at the tournament, the record seven-time African champions need to beat already-qualified 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 January 28, while they could also potentially qualify as one of the best third-placed teams.
He will therefore only feature again at the competition if Egypt make it to a quarter-final on 2 or 3 February.
Egypt needed an injury-time penalty from Salah to salvage a 2-2 draw with Mozambique in their opening game at the tournament.
On Thursday they had to come from behind twice to draw with Ghana, Omar Marmoush and Mostafa Mohamed scoring their goals, with the result leaving them on two points from two matches.
The last of Egypt’s seven titles at the Cup of Nations came in 2010, a year before Salah made his international debut.
Senegal, who beat the Egyptians on penalties in the final of the last edition of the tournament, 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 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.
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,” said Marseille forward Sarr.
Later on in Group C Guinea, again missing star striker Serhou Guirassy, beat 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 will see them progress as group winners.
Cameroon and Gambia will 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 40 metres at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium.
Bebé's long range free-kick gives Cape Verde the lead! 💥 pic.twitter.com/qIAHiHjxlE
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) January 19, 2024
Captain Ryan Mendes doubled their lead just after half-time and Kevin Pina wrapped up the win with a stunning strike midway through the second half.
Cape Verde’s biggest ever AFCON victory leaves 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,” said Mendes.
“We know it won’t be easy but we believe in ourselves and in our work.”
Cape Verde already know they will stay in Abidjan for a last-16 tie against a third-placed team on January 29.
Mozambique, appearing at their fifth 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 $10,000 over comments about Morocco, a Confederation of African Football (CAF) official told AFP.
His dismissal was confirmed by the Tanzanian Football Federation with Hemed Suleiman promoted from assistant coach to caretaker boss for the rest of their AFCON campaign.
The Group F outsiders lost 3-0 to Morocco on Wednesday and still have to play Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Before Amrouche was axed, a CAF official said “(the organisation) has suspended the coach for eight matches after comments he made about Moroccan officials in a TV interview”.
Algeria-born Amrouche alleged Moroccan officials within CAF decide who referees matches involving the senior men’s national team, and at what time they kick off.
