Egypt will look to edge closer to securing a spot at the 2026 World Cup when they face Ethiopia on Friday in round five of the qualifiers.
The match will be played at Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Morocco, with the East African nation unable to meet the required venue standards.
Match preview
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Egypt return to action for their first outing of the year, aiming to pick up where they left off in their World Cup qualifying campaign, having established themselves at the top of Group A with 10 points from three wins and a draw.
The Pharaohs began their journey in emphatic fashion, dismantling Djibouti 6-0 in November 2023 before cruising to a 2-0 victory over Sierra Leone three days later, heading into the African Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast with confidence.
However, their AFCON campaign fell short of expectations as the record holders exited in the round of 16 following a penalty shootout defeat to DR Congo, a disappointment that led to the dismissal of former head coach Rui Vitoria.
Egypt resumed their qualifying charge under Hossam Hassan, who guided them to victory over Burkina Faso in his first competitive match at the helm, though they were held to a 1-1 draw by Guinea-Bissau soon after.
Since their last World Cup qualifier in June, the Pharaohs have played eight matches, winning the first four before experiencing a four-game winless streak in the latter fixtures.
The first six of those games came in the AFCON preliminaries, where Egypt topped their group with 14 points from four wins and two draws, booking their place at the tournament in Morocco.
Their most recent two outings were in the African Nations Championship qualifiers, where they fell to a 4-2 aggregate defeat, following a 1-1 draw in South Africa and a shock 3-1 loss in the return leg on home soil.
Four points clear of second-placed Guinea-Bissau in their World Cup qualifying group, Hassan's men will be eager to extend their lead at the summit with a win on Friday, though they face a tricky test against a side that emerged victorious in their only previous meeting outside Egyptian soil.
Meanwhile, Ethiopia, under Mesay Teferi's leadership, are looking to salvage something from a string of disappointing campaigns, having missed out on securing a ticket to the continent's biggest tournament in Morocco and also failing to qualify for the 2024 African Nations Championship.
Teferi took charge ahead of their final two AFCON preliminaries, but despite his appointment, the Walia finished bottom of Group H, a setback followed by another underwhelming showing in CHAN qualifiers, where they bowed out after a 4-1 aggregate defeat to Sudan.
Ethiopia's World Cup qualification bid has also been far from ideal, as they remain winless in four matches, with just three draws to their name so far.
The Walia opened their campaign with a goalless draw against Sierra Leone before suffering a heavy 3-0 defeat to Burkina Faso, followed by two more stalemates against Guinea-Bissau (0-0) and Djibouti (1-1) in the June 2024 double-header.
These returns leave the East Africans fifth in the standings with three points, two ahead of bottom-placed Djibouti and seven adrift of the summit, making Friday's match crucial if they are to keep their hopes of reaching their first-ever World Cup alive.
Team News
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Teferi has introduced four newcomers to the Ethiopia squad for their double-header against Egypt and Djibouti, while Habtamu Tekeste returns to the fold for the first time in four years.
A total of 24 players have been called up, with defenders Woldeamanuel Getu and Abduselam Yusuf, along with forwards Ahmed Hussien and Mohammed Abera, earning their first selection, while Abubeker Nassir remains the only foreign-based player in the selection.
Egypt's squad for their games against Ethiopia and Sierra Leone retains a familiar look, though Egyptian Premier League top scorer Emam Ashour has been omitted, while goalkeeper Abdelaziz El Balouti earns his maiden call-up.
Mohamed Salah's presence is undisputed, with the Liverpool star in fine form for his club and expected to lead the charge on Friday as he seeks to add to his five-goal tally — joint most in the qualifiers alongside teammate Mahmoud Trezeguet.
Manchester City's January signing Omar Marmoush has also been included and should play a key role, coming off the back of a productive outing for the Cityzens, where he found the net last weekend.
Ethiopia possible starting lineup:
Habtamu; James, Tunjo, Bekele, Kassa; Markos; Yohannes, Tekeste, Worku, Gezahegn; Gugsa
Egypt possible starting lineup:
Shobeir; Eid, Sobhi, Rabia, Hani; Attia, Fathy; Marmoush, Trezeguet, Salah; Faisal
We say: Ethiopia 0-2 Egypt
Egypt head into this clash as clear favourites, having impressed in their campaign so far, while the neutral venue limits Ethiopia's home advantage.
Additionally, the North Africans boast a potent attacking force, with several players in top form, which could prove too much for the opposition's defence.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Adeyeye Oluwapelumi
