Imagine this: Mohamed Salah, one of the world's most electrifying footballers, humbled in defeat. It happened! Egypt, with Salah in the lineup, suffered a shocking 2-0 loss to Uzbekistan, a team ranked 55th globally. A tough pill to swallow for any team, but especially for one with such high expectations.
This unexpected setback occurred during the Al Ain International Cup in Dubai, a tournament intended as a warm-up for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). Egypt, under the guidance of coach Hossam Hassan, had planned two friendlies, starting with this semi-final clash against Uzbekistan.
Fresh off securing World Cup qualification with a dominant 3-0 victory over Djibouti, where Salah netted two goals, the Egyptian squad aimed to fine-tune their strategies and build momentum. But Uzbekistan had other plans. Oston Urunov's two goals sealed the victory for the Central Asian nation, who, despite being ranked 23 places below Egypt by FIFA, proved to be the stronger side on the day. Salah played the entire 90 minutes, but even his brilliance couldn't crack the Uzbek defense. And this is the part most people miss: was it really just Salah's 'fault'?
Coach Hassan pointed to the absence of ten key players as a significant factor in the defeat. "Uzbekistan is a strong team with talented players who helped them qualify for the World Cup, but we were not focused on the first goal and the defence was poor on the second goal," he stated, highlighting a lack of concentration and defensive lapses. Among the absentees was Omar Marmoush, the Man City striker, further weakening Egypt's attacking options. But here's where it gets controversial... is relying so heavily on a few key players a sustainable strategy for Egypt's long-term success?
Egypt will now face Cape Verde in the third-place playoff, while Uzbekistan will compete against Iran in the final. This defeat marks only their second under Hassan's leadership since he took over in February 2024. Their first loss was against Croatia in a friendly back in March, a match where Salah was also absent.
So, the burning question: Will Salah play in the match against Cape Verde? While he was rested during previous international breaks, including missing two World Cup qualifiers in October, there's no indication he'll be given a break this time. As it stands, he's expected to start, potentially marking his 17th full 90-minute appearance of the season.
With AFCON just around the corner, this time in Dubai is crucial for Egypt to build team cohesion, even with the missing players. Salah is scheduled to join the national team after Liverpool's Premier League match against Brighton on December 13th, meaning he'll miss at least three Liverpool fixtures.
Here's a breakdown of Salah's expected AFCON schedule:
- December 13: Liverpool vs. Brighton
- December 14: Joins Egypt squad
- December 22: Egypt vs. Zimbabwe
- December 26: Egypt vs. South Africa
- December 29: Angola vs. Egypt
- January 3/4/5: Round of 16
- January 9/10: Quarter-finals
- January 14: Semi-finals
- January 17: Third-placed playoff
- January 18: Final
- January 21: Marseille vs. Liverpool (Potential return)
This means Salah will definitely be absent for Liverpool's matches against Tottenham (Dec 20), Wolves (Dec 27), and Leeds (Jan 1). If Egypt progresses to the final, he could miss up to four additional games! The No. 11 will be a huge miss for Klopp's team.
Looking ahead, the 2025 AFCON, hosted by Morocco from December 21 to January 18, will see Egypt face Zimbabwe (Dec 22), South Africa (Dec 26), and Angola (Dec 29) in the group stage.
Ultimately, this defeat to Uzbekistan serves as a wake-up call for Egypt. Was this loss a fluke, or does it expose deeper issues within the team? Can Egypt realistically compete for the AFCON title without a fully fit and available squad? And how much does Liverpool's success hinge on Salah's availability? Share your thoughts in the comments below! What do you think Egypt needs to do to improve before AFCON? Is the pressure on Salah too high?
