Egypt make surprising Mohamed Salah starting XI decision after Liverpool star sends Pharaohs into AFCON knockout stages

Ahead of Egypt’s final group game against Patrice Beaumelle’s Angola, head coach Hossam Hassan took the decision to drop talisman Salah to the bench.

While the Pharaohs had already booked their place in the last 16 of Africa’s biggest tournament following wins over Zimbabwe and South Africa in their opening two fixtures, Hassan opted to do away with continuity in favour of keeping his best players fresh ahead of the knockout phase.

With Manchester City forward Omar Marmoush also sat among the substitutes, both men were able to put their feet up as Egypt kept a clean sheet in their final group fixture.

The result means Angola’s hopes of reaching the last 16 have all-but ended, with Beaumelle’s men having needed a victory to have a realistic chance of reaching the knockout stage - either in second place or by finishing as one of the competition’s best third-placed teams.

However, South Africa’s tight 3-2 win over Zimbabwe in the other Group B fixture on Friday ensured a top-two finish would have been out of reach for Angola - even if they had beaten Salah-less Egypt.

But the southern African side’s failure to beat Egypt means that the best they can now hope for is to be the fourth-ranked third-place side, with Beaumelle’s charges having just two points to their name.

Looking to claim his first AFCON title, Salah has been in fantastic form for Egypt so far this tournament, scoring the winners in the victories over both Zimbabwe and South Africa.

After Man City forward Marmoush cancelled out Prince Dube’s opener, Salah scored in stoppage time to help Egypt make the perfect start by beating Mario Marinica’s Zimbabwe 2-1 on 22 December.

And Salah then decided a tight second fixture against 1996 champions South Africa, scoring a last-gasp penalty as Hassan’s men secured all three points against Bafana Bafana on Boxing Day.

While Salah aims to lead Egypt to their first AFCON title since 2010, Liverpool head coach Arne Slot insisted he will not speak about the winger’s club future while he is away, saying both parties have “moved on” following his incendiary interview earlier in December.

Frustrated after being named among the substitutes for the third game in a row in the 3-3 Premier League draw with Leeds United on 6 December, Salah accused Liverpool of “throwing me under the bus” and said his relationship with manager Slot had broken down.

He told a handful of reporters after the full-time whistle at Elland Road: “I can’t believe it, I’m very, very disappointed. I have done so much for this club down the years and especially last season.

“I think it is very clear that someone wanted me to get all of the blame. I got a lot of promises in the summer and so far I am on the bench for three games, so I can’t say they keep the promise.

“I said many times before that I had a good relationship with the manager and all of a sudden, we don’t have any relationship. I don’t know why, but it seems to me, how I see it, that someone doesn’t want me in the club.”

However, after saying there was “no issue to resolve” with Salah after he was brought back into the fold for the 2-0 league win over Brighton and Hove Albion on 13 December, Slot expressed his desire to solely focus on Liverpool while the club’s No. 11 competes for Egypt.

Speaking before his side’s 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur on 20 December, Slot said: “I said last week, actions speak louder than words. We have moved on, he (Salah) was in the squad and he was the first substitution I made [against Brighton].

“Now he’s at the AFCON, playing big games for himself and also for his country, so I think it’s fair to them (Egypt) that all the focus is, for him, over there. But definitely also for us [at Liverpool], because we are going to play some very important games. 

“There should not be any distractions from me saying anything about his time here at Liverpool, because as I said, we’ve moved on after the Leeds interview and he played against Brighton.

“Now he’s there [at AFCON], so it’s fair for the country and for him and also for us to talk, for us, about Tottenham and other games, and for them (Egypt) to be fully focused on their tournament.”