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Egypt are the team that have won the CAF Africa Cup of Nations the most and they have endured a difficult run of it in the last half a decade or so but appear much-improved as they continue their 2025 AFCON qualifying campaign.
KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Friday 11th October, 2024 - UK – 5:00pm / US ET – 12:00pm / US PT – 9:00am
HOW TO WATCH ON TV: UK – Not televised / US – beIN Sports
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: UK – Cannot be streamed / US – beIN Sports streaming platforms
EGYPT PREVIEW: IMPROVING PHAROAHS
Seven-time African champions Egypt endured a difficult 2023 CAF Africa Cup of Nations as they squeezed through the group stages and eventually lost to the Democratic Republic of Congo on penalties in the Round of 16.
However, following the appointment of Hossam Hassan, the Pharaohs have been much-improved and they began their 2025 AFCON qualifying campaign with a 3-0 victory over Cape Verde before then hammering Botswana by four goals to nil.
MAURITANIA PREVIEW: MAURITANIA’S RECENT YEARS
The Mauritania national football team, coached by former over achieving Comoros boss Amir Abdou, have improved in the last couple of years but remain ranked as low as 112th in the world according to FIFA.
‘The Lions of Chinguetti’ won one and lost one of their opening couple of AFCON qualifiers with a slender 1-0 defeat of Botswana being followed up by a 2-0 defeat to Cape Verde a few days later during the September international break.
EGYPT TEAM NEWS: MOVING ON FROM ELNENY
Former Arsenal midfielder Mohamed Elneny captained the Egyptian football side at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris but the senior first-team has headed into a second international break without the experienced defensive midfielder.
PREDICTED XI (4-2-3-1): El Shenawy; Hany, Rabia, Sobhi, Hamdy; Fathy, Attia; Salah, Sayed, Trezeguet; Faisal
UNAVAILABLE:
QUESTIONABLE: Hamdi (Injured)
MAURITANIA TEAM NEWS: RELIANCE ON KAMARA
Former Fulham striker Aboubakar Kamara remains a key forward for Mruaitania but they do also have AEK Athens man Aboubakary Koita in their squad. Attacking midfielder Sidi Bouna Amar is an injury doubt for this international break.
PREDICTED XI (4-5-1): Niasse; Keita, Houebib, Ba, Diaw; Amar, Mouhsine, Fofana, Ngom, Koita; Sy
UNAVAILABLE:
QUESTIONABLE: Amar (Injured)
EGYPT VS MAURITANIA PREDICTION
There aren’t too many lobsided games in African football, despite the massive fluctuations in quality, but Egypt put in a couple of performances and results that can be regarded as such last weekend. The north Africans will be expected to dominate this one throughout against Mauritania and another comfortable Egyptian win is to be expected with a clean sheet also seemingly quite likely.
EGYPT VS MAURITANIA TIP: EGYPT TO WIN TO NIL