Egypt’s Strategic Shift in AFCON: Salah on the Bench Against Angola

Ahead of Egypt’s final group match against Angola, managed by Patrice Beaumelle, head coach Hossam Hassan made the strategic decision to bench star player Mohamed Salah.

Having already secured a place in the Round of 16 of Africa’s premier tournament through victories over Zimbabwe and South Africa, Hassan prioritized player freshness over continuity as the knockout phase approaches.

With Manchester City forward Omar Marmoush also among the substitutes, both Salah and Marmoush were able to rest as Egypt concluded their group stage with a clean sheet.

This outcome has significantly diminished Angola’s chances of advancing to the knockout rounds, as they required a victory to maintain a realistic opportunity—either by finishing second or qualifying as one of the best third-placed teams.

South Africa’s narrow 3-2 victory over Zimbabwe in a concurrent Group B match further ensured that a top-two finish was unattainable for Angola, even in the event of a win against the Salah-less Egyptian side.

Consequently, Angola’s best potential outcome is now to secure the position of the fourth-ranked third-place team, with just two points to their credit.

Salah, aiming for his first AFCON title, has been in exceptional form throughout the tournament, scoring decisive goals in Egypt’s previous matches against Zimbabwe and South Africa.

After Marmoush equalized against Prince Dube’s opener, Salah netted a stoppage-time goal, leading Egypt to a 2-1 victory over Zimbabwe on December 22.

He then played a pivotal role in a tightly contested second match against 1996 champions South Africa, converting a late penalty to ensure Egypt earned all three points on Boxing Day.

While Salah pursues the AFCON title, Liverpool’s head coach Arne Slot has refrained from discussing the winger’s club future during his time away, asserting that both parties have “moved on” following Salah’s controversial comments earlier in December.

Frustrated by his consecutive placements on the bench during a 3-3 draw with Leeds United, Salah expressed disappointment, suggesting that someone at the club wanted to assign him blame for the team’s struggles.

Salah stated, “I can’t believe it; I’m very, very disappointed. I have done so much for this club over the years, particularly last season. It seems to me that someone doesn’t want me in the club.”

However, Slot assured that there were “no issues to resolve” with Salah after he was reintegrated into the squad for a 2-0 league win over Brighton and Hove Albion on December 13.

Slot emphasized the importance of focusing on Liverpool’s upcoming matches while Salah competes for Egypt, stating, “Now he’s at the AFCON, playing significant games for himself and his country. It’s fair for them that all attention is on the tournament.”

As Slot prepares for critical fixtures for Liverpool, he reiterated the necessity of maintaining a clear focus, saying, “We’ve moved on after the Leeds interview, and now it’s essential for us to concentrate on our games while allowing Egypt to focus on their tournament.”