Egypt’s Pharaohs Kick Off 2025 Africa Cup of Nations Qualifying Campaign Against Cape Verde

This Friday, Egypt’s national football team, known as the Pharaohs, will take to the Cairo International Stadium to face Cape Verde in the opening match of their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign. The encounter promises to be an exciting one, as both teams are looking to make a strong start to their qualification journey.

The Pharaohs and Cape Verde have a history, having met for the first time during the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations group stage. Their first-ever encounter ended in a thrilling 2-2 draw, with each team scoring a goal in stoppage time. This unpredictability is likely to carry over into their upcoming encounter, making it a highly anticipated match.

Egypt’s team will be bolstered by the presence of several international stars, including Mohamed Salah of Liverpool and Mostafa Mohamed of Nantes. These players will be key to the Pharaohs’ success, providing creativity and goal-scoring threat in the attacking department.

However, Egypt will be without the services of Ahly’s classy midfielder Emam Ashour due to a knee injury sustained during the national team’s training camp. This loss is a significant blow to the Pharaohs, as Ashour is an experienced and skilled player who could have made a valuable contribution to the team.

As the Pharaohs look to make a positive start to their qualifying campaign, they will be seeking to build on their performance against Cape Verde. The Atlas Lions, as they are known, will also be looking to cause an upset and claim a notable scalp in their opening match. With both teams expected to give their all, this encounter promises to be an entertaining and closely contested affair.

Additional sources: AP