Egypt and Ethiopia bring their 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign to an end when they go head to head at the 30 June Stadium on Friday.
Having suffered a 2-0 loss in the reverse fixture back in June 2022, the seven-time African champions will be looking to get one over the Wali Ibex and pick up an eighth win on the spin.
Match preview
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Egypt turned in another performance of the highest quality as they cruised to a 3-0 friendly victory over South Sudan at the Cairo International Stadium on June 18.
In a one-sided affair, Mostafa Fathy, Kahraba and Trabzonspor forward Mahmoud Trezeguet all found the back of the net to hand the Pharaohs a comfortable victory.
Egypt now turn their attention to the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, where they are on a three-game winning streak, stretching back to a 2-0 loss against Friday's visitors when they met in June 2022.
Next up for the seven-time AFCON champions is an opposing side who are winless in 14 of the last 17 meetings between the two nations, losing 11 and claiming three draws since February 1957.
With 12 points from a possible 15, Rui Vitoria's men currently sit at the top of Group D, three points above second-placed Guinea, who face Malawi in the other group fixture on Saturday.
With the result over South Sudan last time out, Egypt have now won each of their last seven matches across all competitions since a 4-1 defeat at the hands of South Korea in a friendly in June 2022.
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Ethiopia, on the other hand, returned to winning ways in style as they edged out Guyana 2-0 when the sides squared off at Loudoun United's Segra Field last Sunday.
Veteran midfielder Shimelis Bekele came up trumps at the hosts as he found the back of the net on either side of the half-time interval to hand Jamaal Shabazz's men a second successive defeat.
Prior to that, Daniel Deribe's men failed to win six games on the bounce across all competitions, a run which has seen them pick up just one point from the last nine available in Group D of the AFCON qualifiers.
With four points from a possible 15, Ethiopia are currently rooted to the bottom of the group standings, level on points with fellow strugglers Malawi and five points off second-placed Guinea.
While the 1962 African champions will be looking to bow out of the qualifiers with their heads head high, they have struggled for results on the road, where they are currently on a five-game losing streak and have failed to win any of their last 12 since 2020.
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Team News
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Vitoria has named an experienced 25-man squad for Friday's clash and the friendly against Tunisia on September 12, with the likes of Mohamed El Shenawy, Tarek Hamed and Mohamed Salah headlining the squad.
Liverpool star Salah will not be a part of the starting side this weekend, meaning that Omar Marmoush and Nantes striker Mostafa Mohamed, who has seven goals in 26 senior caps, should lead the Pharaoh's attack.
The Zamalek duo of defender Hossam Abdul-Majeed and 22-year-old forward Osama Faisal have been handed their first-ever call-ups to the Egypt senior team and will be looking to make their debut.
With his brace against Guyana, Bekele, who currently leads the Ethiopian all-time appearance chart, now has 15 goals to his name and will be one to keep an eye out for.
Bekele should team up with Canaan Markneh and Amanuel Yohannes at the centre of the park, while we expect an attacking trio of Duresa Shubisa, Habtamu Tadesse and Adama City forward Yosef Tarekegn.
Egypt possible starting lineup:
El-Shennawy; Hany, Gabr, Abdelmonem, Hamdi; Hamada, Fathy; Marmoush, Fathi, Sherif; Mohamed
Ethiopia possible starting lineup:
Habtumu: Adugba, Tanner, Baye; Markneh, Yohannes, Bekele, Yesuf; Shubisa, Tadesse, Tarekegn
We say: Egypt 3-0 Ethiopia
Egypt head into the weekend as one of the most in-form sides in the qualifiers and will be looking to extend their dominant run against the Wali Ibex. Ethiopia's form on the road also makes Vitoria's men firm on favourites to come out on top and we are backing them to pick up a comfortable victory.
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