Egypt’s Ahmed Hegazi could be fit for Togo clashes

by Graeme Jackson

Wednesday Mar 04, 2020. 12:00

Defender Ahmed Hegazi is set to recover from injury in time to feature for Egypt in their 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Togo later this month.

The Pharaohs will host Togo on March 26 in Cairo, followed by a return game likely to be in Lome three days later when the qualifiers for next year’s AFCON resume.

Hegazi became a major doubt for the double header against the Sparrow Hawks when he suffered a hamstring injury in West Bromwich Albion’s 1-0 loss to Wigan Athletic in a Championship clash this past weekend.

However, Egypt coach Hossam El Badry would have been relieved to hear the words of West Brom boss Slaven Bilic, who revealed that the 29-year-old’s injury is not as bad as initially feared.

“I spoke to him and the medical department and they don’t think it’s something major,” Bilic said, as quoted by Express and Star.

“We’re waiting, but hopefully he’ll be back soon. Maybe a couple of weeks time.

“It’s a shame because he played really good since he came back into the team. It’s a blow for us.”

Egypt have made a slow start to Group G in the 2021 qualifiers, drawing 1-1 at home to Kenya and 0-0 away to Comoros to leave them in third place on the log.