Egypt hosts Senegal for a ticket in World Cup

CAIRO-25 March 2022: All eyes will be on Cairo International Stadium on Friday night as the Pharaohs face Senegal in the first leg of the final round of the African World Cup qualifiers. 

The two sides meet in a two- legged clash to decide which side picks one of Africa’s five tickets to the World Cup in Qatar.

More than 65,000 fans are expected to watch the game from the Cairo Stadium's stands, hoping to push the Pharaohs to a comfortable advantage ahead of the second leg in Senegal next Tuesday. 

Carlos Queiroz, Egypt national team head coach, will not many changes to his side that lost the AFCON title on penalties to Senegal last February as the only change is expected to be in the goalkeeper position. Mohamed El Shenawy, the team's first-choice goalkeeper, is back to the team after missing the final for injury and he is expected to be in the starting line-up. 

Senegal's last visit to Cairo Stadium did not end well as they lost the AFCON final in 2019 to Algeria at Egypt's iconic football cathedral but they are back now in high spirits after winning their first-ever AFCON title last February. 

The Egyptians were the first to represent Africa in the World Cup when they participated in the second edition of the competition in 1934 in Italy while the Lions of Teranga have achieved Africa's best result in the World Cup as they reached the quarter-finals in their first participation in 2002. 

Cameroon and Ghana are the only nations that managed to match the success of Senegal in the World Cup as they reached the quarter-finals in 1990 and 2010 respectively.  

The game starts at 9:30 PM.