Egypt, the record seven-time champions, suffered a significant setback on Friday as their captain, Mohamed Salah, was ruled out of two Africa Cup of Nations games due to a hamstring injury. The Egyptian Football Association confirmed that Salah, the Liverpool star, won’t be available for the remaining group match against Cape Verde and any subsequent last-16 tie unless Egypt reaches the quarter-finals. Salah was substituted late in the first half during Egypt’s 2-2 draw with Ghana on Thursday.
To secure advancement in second place in Group B, Egypt must defeat Cape Verde in their final group game. Salah’s absence will extend to the last-16 tie, should Egypt qualify. The earliest Salah can return to the competition is if Egypt reaches the quarter-finals on February 2 or 3.
Senegal, the defending champions, secured a place in the next round with a 3-1 victory over Cameroon in Group C. Ismaila Sarr and Habib Diallo scored for Senegal, while Jean-Charles Castelletto pulled one back for Cameroon. Senegal leads Group C with six points, while Cameroon has one point.
Cape Verde became the first team to qualify for the last 16 with a 3-0 win over Mozambique in Group B. Bebe, the former Manchester United forward, scored a remarkable free-kick, and goals from Ryan Mendes and Kevin Pina sealed the victory. Cape Verde, with six points from two games, is certain to top Group B and will face a third-placed team in the last-16 tie on January 29.
Tanzania dismissed coach Adel Amrouche after he was banned for eight matches and fined $10,000 for comments about Moroccan officials. Hemed Suleiman is now the caretaker boss for the rest of Tanzania’s AFCON campaign.
Please note: The information provided here is based on the content available as of the last knowledge update (January 2022). There may have been further developments in the story.
