Arsenal of England midfielder, Mohamed Elneny has set his sight firmly on making a third outing against Nigeria’s Super Eagles on March 26, as he has been included in Egypt’s squad for an international friendly match at Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba.
Sports247.ng learnt that Elneny is the most eye-popping name on the roster of 25 players released by The Pharaohs’ coach, Javier Aguirre for the high-profile clash in the Delta State capital next month.
However, while Elneny will seek his third appearance against the Eagles in three years, having gone the distance in back-to-back 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah and West Bromwich Albion defender, Ahmed Hegazi are not listed for the friendly.
With Salah left out to accord him time to concentrate on his title charge with Liverpool in the English Premier League, Aguirre has called up ten rookies for the friendly in Asaba, which will be preceded by Egypt’s last match in the AFCON 2019 qualifiers, against Niger Republic.
Elneny, who last played against Nigeria in March 2016, heads a total of six foreign-based players in Aguirre’s squad, along with Karim Hafez and Mahmoud Hassan, both of Kasimpasa, as well as Ali Ghazal of Feirense, Amr Warda of Atromitos and Ahmed Hassan Kouka of Olympiacos.
Overall, the squad contains four home-based goalkeepers: Mahmoud Abdel-Rehim (Zamalek), Mohamed Abo Gabal (Smouha), Ahmed El-Shenawy (Pyramids), and Amer Amer (El-Entag El-Harby).
Also listed are eight defenders: Omar Gaber (Pyramids), Mohamed Hani (Ahly), Ali Gabr (Pyramids), Mahmoud Alaa (Zamalek), Baher Elmohamdy (Ismaily), Ahmed Ayman Mansour (Pyramids), Karim Hafez (Kasımpasa), and Ahmed Aboil-Fotouh (Smouha).
Added are ten midfielders: Amr El-Sulaya (Ahly), Mohamed Elneny (Arsenal), Tarek Hamed (Zamalek), Ali Ghazal (Feirense), Nabil Emad (Pyramids), Mahmoud Hassan (Kasimpasa), Amr Warda (Atromitos), Islam Gaber (Dakhleya), Ammar Hamdi (Ittihad of Alexandria), and Abdel-Rahman Magdi (Ismaily).
Only three strikers are added to complete the list to face Niger Republic and Nigeria, being Ahmed Hassan (Olympiacos), Salah Mohsen (Ahly), and Mostafa Mohamed (Talae El-Geish).
