Egypt’s national football team has arrived in Juba ahead of Tuesday’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against South Sudan, bringing a squad featuring several high-profile players for the Group B encounter.
The Pharaohs landed in the South Sudanese capital on Sunday, September 27, two days before their second qualifying match at Juba National Stadium. The match is scheduled for 3:00pm local time on September 29.
Among the players in the travelling squad are Tottenham forward Omar Marmoush and Barcelona youngster Hamza Abdelkarim, as Egypt look to secure their first victory of the qualifying campaign.
However, Egypt will be without captain and star forward Mohamed Salah, who has been left out of the trip to Juba.
The Egyptian Football Association said Salah was rested as a precaution because Tuesday’s match will be played on an artificial-turf pitch.
The decision had reportedly been agreed between the player and the technical staff before Egypt’s opening qualifier.
Salah started Egypt’s opening match against Angola in Cairo on Friday but was substituted in the second half as the Pharaohs were held to a goalless draw.
The result left Egypt with one point from their opening Group B match, while South Sudan also began their campaign with a defeat, losing 2-1 to Malawi. Malawi currently lead the group with three points.
Egypt, the record seven-time African champions, will now be seeking their first win of the qualifiers when they face the Bright Stars in Juba.
South Sudan will also be looking to recover from their opening defeat on home soil after losing to Malawi, setting up a match in which both sides enter the encounter looking for their first points of the campaign.
The Pharaohs are scheduled to train at Juba National Stadium on Monday as they complete preparations for Tuesday’s match.
The two teams are in Group B alongside Angola and Malawi, with the top two teams eventually qualifying for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, which will be hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
