Egypt coach Hossam Hassan has confirmed that Mohamed Salah will be assessed after the captain requested to be substituted during Friday’s 1-1 World Cup draw with Iran in Seattle. The substitution, which occurred 12 minutes into the second half, left Salah visibly frustrated and raised concerns about his fitness ahead of the knockout stages.
Hassan provides update on Salah’s condition
Speaking to beIN Sports after the match, Hassan said it was too early to determine the extent of the issue, though it did not appear to be serious. “He asked to come off. If a player asks to be substituted, it means he felt something,” Hassan said. “We’ll make sure what the problem is. We’ll assess him.”
Salah’s early exit adds to Egypt’s injury worries, with left back Ahmed Fatouh also set to be evaluated after suffering an injury during the game. Midfielder Hamdi Fathi missed the Iran match but Hassan expressed hope he would recover in time for Egypt’s round of 32 fixture against Australia on Friday.
Egypt’s squad depth praised despite fitness concerns
Despite the fitness setbacks, Hassan expressed confidence in his squad’s depth after Egypt secured second place in Group G with five points, trailing leaders Belgium on goal difference. “I have warriors. I have Egyptian players who are worthy of the trust placed in them,” he said. “I don’t worry about missing players. I have complete confidence in everyone in this squad. If I worried every time we had an injury, then I wouldn’t be fit to coach the Egypt national team.”
Knockout stage a proud achievement
Hassan hailed Egypt’s progress to the knockout stage as a proud achievement for the country, the Arab world, and Africa. “We’ll prepare ourselves, work hard and do everything we can for what’s coming next,” he said. Egypt will now focus on their preparation for the round of 32 match against Australia, with Salah’s availability a key concern for the team.
