Cairo, Egypt – Egypt’s AFCON campaign has been dealt a huge blow as star forward Mohamed Salah has been ruled out of the remainder of the group stage and possibly longer after sustaining a hamstring injury during the Pharaohs’ 2-2 draw with Ghana on Thursday.
The Liverpool striker, who has been in scintillating form this season, was forced off in the 40th minute of the match after suffering a hamstring strain in the match.
Scans conducted after the match confirmed the injury, which will see Salah sidelined for at least the next two matches.
“Scan results have confirmed that Mohamed Salah suffered a strain in his hamstring muscle,” the Egyptian FA said in a short statement on Thursday night. “He will not be able to play in our next two AFCON matches.”
Egypt face Cape Verde in their final Group C match on Tuesday, where they need just a point to progress to the knockout stages. However, the task now looks much more difficult without their talismanic forward leading the line.
Salah has been instrumental in Egypt’s AFCON campaign so far, scoring two brilliant goals in the opening 1-0 win over Guinea-Bissau. Manager Carlos Queiroz will now have to game-plan without his biggest offensive threat as Egypt look to make a deep run in the tournament.
Beyond being a massive setback for Egypt, Salah’s injury will also be concerning for his club Liverpool, where he has been having a Ballon D’or-caliber season. With no timeline given for his recovery, Liverpool will hope the 29-year-old can return quickly from this hamstring setback and continue his stellar club form.
For now though, it looks like AFCON heartbreak for Salah, whose glittering tournament has been cut abruptly short by injury. Egypt will need others to step up in his absence as they continue their quest for an AFCON title.
The injury will also be a massive concern for Liverpool, as Salah has been integral to their season so far. With no set timeline given for his return, the Reds will hope their prized forward can recover swiftly from this hamstring setback.
