By Satuk Bugra Kutlugun
ANKARA
After a 28-year lapse, Egypt will participate in their first World Cup finals and face against Uruguay in Group A on June 15.
The team will heavily rely on Liverpool striker Mohammed Salah, who had a great season in the Premier League and Champions League, where his team played against Real Madrid in the final.
Salah got injured in the first half of the final match and his situation is still unclear. The Egyptian scored 5 goals for his country in the qualification rounds, including a last minute penalty to clinch the ticket to World Cup finals.
Egypt participated in the World Cup twice before; the first was in 1934 and the last one in 1990 in Italy, when they were eliminated in the group stage.
In Group A, Egypt will later take on Russia on June 19 and Saudi Arabia on June 25.
Confirmed 23-men squad for Egypt:
Goalkeepers: Essam Al-Hadary (Al-Taawoun), Mohamed al-Shennawy (Al-Ahli Cairo), Sherif Ekramy (Al-Ahli Cairo)
Defenders: Ahmed Fathi (Al-Ahli Cairo), Saad Samir (Al-Ahli Cairo), Ayman Ashraf (Al-Ahli Cairo), Mahmoud Hamdy (Zamalek), Mohamed Abdel-Shafy (Al-Fatih), Ahmed Hegazi (West Bromwich), Ali Gabr (West Bromwich), Ahmed Al-Mohamady (Aston Villa), Omar Gaber (Los Angeles)
Midfielders: Tarek Hamed (Zamalek), Mahmoud Abdel-Razak Shikabala (Al-Raed), Abdallah Said (Al-Ahli Jeddah), Sam Morsy (Wigan Athletic), Mohamed Elneny (Arsenal), Mahmoud Kahraba (Al-Ettihad Jeddah), Ramadan Sobhi (Stoke City), Trezeguet (Kasimpasa), Amr Warda (Atromitos)
Forwards: Marwan Mohsen (Al-Ahli Cairo), Mohammed Salah (Liverpool)
Manager: Hector Cuper
