Egypt is preparing for its World Cup opener against Belgium, with the team confident in its roster built around star player Mohamed Salah. The match is set to take place in Seattle.
Hossam Hassan, Egypt‘s coach and career scoring leader, expressed quiet confidence ahead of the game. He highlighted the team’s goal to advance past the group stage in the expanded tournament format. Egypt has participated in the World Cup four times previously and has never secured a win in seven matches, having led only once.
Salah’s Role and Team Dynamics
Mohamed Salah, a former Liverpool player, is central to Egypt‘s strategy. Despite his history and status, there is a perception that teams should be built around him. His World Cup appearance against Belgium coincided with his 34th birthday, and while his speed may have changed, his need for supporting players remains.
At Liverpool, Salah often relied on players like Trent Alexander-Arnold for quick passes and Roberto Firmino to create space. For Egypt, he requires Emam Ashour to be precise, Mohamed Attia to agitate alongside him, and Mohamed Hany to advance from right back. These dynamics are crucial for Salah‘s effectiveness.
One perspective suggests Salah carries teams by himself, while another argues teams often carry him due to his limited defensive involvement. The reality is that elements of both arguments hold true. Even a player of Lionel Messi‘s caliber needed a strong system and supporting teammates to achieve success, as demonstrated in the 2022 World Cup.
In the recent match against Belgium, Egypt adopted a formation similar to a 4-4-2 in possession, with Salah pushing up alongside Omar Marmoush in attack, a shift from his usual right-flank position. This tactical adjustment saw Salah take on responsibilities as a No. 10 when Belgium advanced, indicating defensive instructions from coach Hassan.
Salah‘s contributions included occupying space between Belgium‘s holding midfielders, such as Amadou Onana and Youri Tielemans, which created more space for Egypt‘s midfielders to progress attacks. Structurally, his presence was beneficial, leading to Timothy Castagne receiving a yellow card within the first 20 minutes and Salah assisting Egypt‘s opening goal, scored by Ashour.
Squad Strength and Upcoming Matches
Egypt believes it possesses a strong roster beyond Salah. Coach Hassan emphasized the talent of players like Omar Marmoush, who plays for Manchester City, and other skilled individuals who are expected to contribute significantly. Belgium manager Rudi Garcia, who previously coached Salah at Roma, acknowledged the quality of Egypt‘s attack, particularly the tandem of Salah and Marmoush.
The Belgian squad features experienced players like Kevin De Bruyne and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, alongside emerging talents such as winger Jérémy Doku. Hassan acknowledged Belgium‘s strong team, stating that the world is aware of their capabilities. Despite the challenge, Egypt has a history of competing well against Belgium, having won three out of four exhibition matches.
Belgium faces pressure to perform well, aiming to avoid a repeat of their 2022 World Cup performance in Qatar, where they did not advance past the group stage. They finished third in the 2018 tournament in Russia. For Egypt, the team will face New Zealand and Iran in upcoming matches.
Salah‘s performance in World Cup qualifying matches included nine goals and three assists in six appearances. Coach Hassan reiterated that while Salah is important, every player on the team holds significance.
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Source: nytimes.com
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