Egypt’s Draw Against Mozambique Raises Eyebrows and Questions Mohamed Salah Future
Egypt’s 2-2 draw against Mozambique in their opening Africa Cup of Nations group stage match sparked a wave of criticism towards the Pharaohs, both from fans and media.
The disappointing result saw Egypt escape a potential loss thanks to a last-minute penalty converted by Mohamed Salah, but it wasn’t enough to quell the growing discontent.
Reasons for the Draw:
Several factors contributed to Egypt’s underwhelming performance:
- Subpar performance: Overall, the Pharaohs’ play fell short of expectations, lacking both fighting spirit and technical finesse.
- Missed opportunities: Despite numerous attempts, Egypt failed to capitalize on their chances, scoring only two goals.
- Bad luck: A late, controversial penalty gifted to Mozambique threatened to seal Egypt’s fate before Salah’s equalizer provided a lifeline.
Impact of the Draw:
The draw ignited anger among Egyptian fans, demanding improvement and better results in the upcoming matches.
The pressure intensified on Mohamed Salah, the team’s star player, who is expected to lead Egypt to glory despite the absence of any major international titles with the Pharaohs.
The UAE achieved a major victory over Hong Kong 3-1, on Sunday, in the first round of the third group competitions of the Asian Cup held in Qatar. pic.twitter.com/im3VrscNbd
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Mohamed Salah International Future:
According to sports journalist Ahmed Darwish, Salah is contemplating international retirement if Egypt gets eliminated from the Cup of Nations, marking a fourth failed attempt to win the coveted trophy.
Should Salah follow through, it would be a significant blow to the team, given his crucial role and reliance by coach Carlos Queiroz.
Salah’s Record-Breaking Performance:
Despite the draw, Salah etched his name in the record books:
- He became the first Egyptian player to score in four consecutive AFCON tournaments.
- His seven goals put him tied for fourth place in Egypt’s all-time AFCON scorers list.
- He reduced the gap between him and retired legend Hossam Hassan, Egypt’s top scorer, to just 14 goals.
Egypt needs a significant turnaround in performance to survive the AFCON group stage.
Mohamed Salah requires support from both teammates and fans to fulfill the nation’s dream of lifting the trophy.
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