A total of eight Al Ahly players will be rushed from Sunday’s African Champions League final into the Egypt squad for their Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Guinea on Wednesday.
Goalkeeper Mohamed El Shennawy, defenders Mohamed Abdelmonem, Mohamed Hany, and Yasser Ibrahim will be joined by midfielders Marwan Ateya and Hamdi Fathi and the striking duo of Hussein El Shahat and Mahmoud Kahraba in the 28-man squad that will take on Guinea in Marrakech, Morocco and then host South Sudan in a friendly on 18 June.
Fortunately for the Al Ahly contingent, they will not have to travel far after Sunday’s clash between Wydad Casablanca and the Cairo giants at Casablanca’s Mohamed V Stadium where Al Ahly take a 2-1 lead from last Sunday’s first leg of the final.
Mohamed Salah leads a contingent of only four foreign-based players after both Sam Morsy (Ipswich Town, England) and Ahmed Hamdi, who plays for Montreal in Major League Soccer were dropped. Saudi Arabia-based defender Ahmed Hegazi has withdrawn because of injury.
Egypt coach Rui Vitoria handed the Future FC’s midfield duo Mohamed "Bobo" Reda and Ghannam Mohamed a first call-up.
Egypt only need one point to book their berth at next year’s Cup of Nation finals in the Ivory Coast. They are top of group D, ahead of Guinea on goal difference and six points ahead of Malawi and Ethiopia.
Guinea are hosting the match in Morocco because their own stadium in Conakry has been ruled unfit for use in international competition by the Confederation of African Football.
SQUAD:
Goalkeepers: Mohamed Abougabal (National Bank of Egypt), Mohamed El Shennawy (Al Ahly), Mohamed Sobhy (Zamalek)
Defenders: Mohamed Abdelmonem (Al Ahly), Ahmed Fetouh (Zamalek), Ali Gabr, Mohamed Hamdy (both Pyramids), Mohamed Hany, Yasser Ibrahim (both Al Ahly), Mahmoud Marei (Future FC), Ahmed Ramadan (Ceramica Cleopatra), Hesham Salah (Al Ittihad)
Midfielders: (both Al Ahly), Mahmoud Hamada (Pharco) Mohamed Helal (National Bank of Egypt), Mohanad Lasheen, Ghannam Mohamed, Mohamed Reda (all Future FC), Ahmed Zizo (Zamalek)
Forwards: Hussein El Shahat (Al Ahly), Mostafa Fathi (Pyramids), Mahmoud Kahraba (Al Ahly), Omar Marmoush (VfL Wolfsburg, Germany), Mostafa Mohamed (Nantes, France), Yasser Rayan (Ceramica Cleopatra), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool FC, England), Mahmoud Trezeguet (Trabzonspor, Turkey).