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Hector Cuper Names Egypt Provisional Squad Ahead Of The 2017 Nations Cup

Hector Cuper Names Egypt Provisional Squad Ahead Of The 2017 Nations Cup

Among the dark horses that will be fighting for the Africa Cup of Nations title in Gabon this month, Egypt have named a provisional squad of 27 players which will be cut down to a final squad in the coming days.

The Pharaohs have returned to winning ways under Argentine coach Hector Cuper over the last year, and they are coming into the Nations Cup tournament on a high as one of the in-form teams.

With 11 foreign based players selected in the squad, there is a varied and experienced side available to Cuper, and striker Mohamed Salah of Roma is likely to be one of the stars of the competition.

Notable absentees from the 27-man list are Zamalek striker Bassem Morsi and veteran Hossam Ghali. Morsi being dropped from the team comes as a shock, as he has featured prominently in their last two World Cup qualifiers.

Rami Rabia is another player who has not been included in the provisional squad due to an ankle injury that has ruled him out of the AFCON.

Egypt last won the AFCON in 2010, but since that edition the Pharaohs have failed to qualify for Africa’s flagship national team tournament.

Four of the current squad was involved when they won the title seven years ago, with Essam El Hadary, Ahmed Elmohamady, Mohamed Abdelshafi and Ahmed Fathi included in the provisional squad.

Egypt are in Group D, and they will be based in Port Gentil, alongside Ghana, Mali and Uganda.

Egypt Provisional Squad

Goalkeepers: Hassan Awad (Ismaili), Sherif Ekramy (Al Ahly), Essam El Hadary (Wadi Degla), Ahmed El Shennawi (Zamalek)

Defenders: Mohamed Abdelshafi (Al Ahly Jeddah, Saudi Arabia), Ahmed Dwidar (Zamalek), Ahmed Elmohamady (Hull City, England), Ahmed Fathi (Ahly), Omar Gaber (FC Basle, Switzerland), Ali Gabr (Zamalek), Karim Hafez (Racing Lens, France), Ahmed Hegazy, Saad Samir (both Al Ahly), Hamada Tolba (Al Masri)

Midfielders: Mohamed Elneny (Arsenal, England), Abdallah El Said (Al Ahly), Ahmed Gomaa (Al Masri), Mahmoud ‘Trezeguet’ Hassan (Royal Mouscron-Peruwelz, Belgium), Tarek Hamed, Mohamed Ibrahim, Ibrahim Salah (all Zamalek), Amr Warda (Panetolikos, Greece)

Forwards: Mahmoud Abdelmoneim ‘Kahraba’ (Al Ahly Jeddah, Saudi Arabia), Ahmed Hassan ‘Kouka’ (Sporting Braga, Portugal), Marwan Mohsen (Al Ahly), Mohamed Salah (AS Roma, Italy), Ramadan Sobhi (Stoke City, England).