2027 AFCON Qualifier: Egypt Head Coach Hossam Hassan Explain Why Mo Salah Will Miss the South Sudan Clash

Egypt coach Hossam Hassan has explained why Mohammed Salah was left out of the Squad for their upcoming AFCON qualifier match against South Sudan, saying it was down to the artificial turf.

At his pre-match press conference, Hassan said Salah is still an important player for the Egypt team, but the technical team felt it is important not to risk him on the artificial turf.

“I respect all the players, and at the top of them is Mohammed Salah. He is an important and influential player, one of the key elements, a big and important player for the team, and one of the most important players in the world. However, we preferred to rest him because of the artificial turf pitch. He had spoken to me about the matter before the Angola match, and we agreed on it. We need him in the upcoming matches, and the safety of any player is my top priority. My confidence in all the players is great.”

Egypt will have to cope without their captain against South Sudan, but Hassan is backing the rest of the squad to step up and maintain their solid form in the qualifiers.