BATTLE AGAINST EAGLES: 14-home based Pharaohs train in Alexandria for Eagles

Nigeria’s opponents in the March 26 international friendly game inside the late Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba, the Pharaohs of Egypt began training for prestige on Sunday, with one target on their minds – beat Nigeria at home.

Although the Pharaohs have a dead-rubber game against Niger on March 22 in their final game for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, the Egyptians assembled in Alexandria on Sunday, without their biggest star Mohammed Salah, who was busy with the Sunday Barclays English Premier League tie against Fulham FC in London, which the Reds won by 2-1.

“Coach Javier Aguirre kicked off the camp with a meeting with the players, stressing full concentration and doing one’s best effort during the coming 10 days,” the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) reported in a statement on its official Facebook page.

“The first training session of the camp will start later Sunday with the presence of 14 players (the local-based ones),” the statement added.

The Pharaohs, who have already booked a place in Africa’s flagship tournament with one match to spare, are second with 12 points in their qualifying group, level with leaders Tunisia who enjoy a better goal difference.

Egypt was granted the tournament’s hosting rights in January after Cameroon was stripped of those rights in December. Nigeria also secured a place at the finals as they are currently topping Group E with 10 points.

On 26 February, Aguirre named a 25-man squad for the Niger and Nigeria tests, including 10 new faces while dropping Liverpool winger Mohamed Salah, Aston Villa’s Ahmed Elmohamady and West Bromwich Albion’s centre-back Ahmed Hegazi to allow them to rest.

With the Mexican Aguirre at the helm, Egypt crushed Niger 6-0, defeated eSwatini 4-1 at home and 2-0 away, and dispensed with Tunisia 3-2 via a stoppage-time strike from Mohamed Salah.