Egypt captain Mohamed Salah has been ruled out of two matches at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) with a hamstring injury, a big blow for the seven-time champions looking to seek qualification to the round of 16.
This means Salah will miss Egypt‘s Group B game against Cape Verde on Monday and last-16 match should Egypt qualify.
The 31-year-old Liverpool striker limped off before half-time in the 2-2 draw with Ghana on Thursday.
The result has left the record seven-time African champions needing to beat the already-qualified Cape Verde to guarantee their progression.
The Egyptian Football Association confirmed in a statement that Salah would not be able to return for his country unless they reach the quarter-finals at the tournament.
After drawing their opening two games, Egypt needs to beat Cape Verde to be guaranteed to advance to second place in Group B.
“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,” Egyptian Football Association said in a statement.
Salah will therefore only feature in the tournament again if Egypt advances to a quarter-final on 2 or 3 February.
Earlier on Friday Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp suggested Salah’s hamstring problem was likely to be severe, given the forward had missed just 10 league games for the Reds in more than six seasons.
“He was shocked and couldn’t see why he was hit by something so intense,” said Klopp.
“You have these hamstring injuries in a different way. He felt it and we know how rarely Mo goes off or needs to go off, so it is definitely something.”
Losing Salah comes as a major blow to Egypt, who have made a slow start to their campaign in the Ivory Coast, having just two points from two matches.
The last time Egypt won the AFCON was in 2010, a year before Salah made his international debut for the Pharaohs.
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