Friday World Cup action kick off with Australia vs Egypt for round of 32 at AT&T Stadium. Na not di most glamorous tie for competition, but e go be competitive contest wey nations with limited experience for dis stage dey fight.
Australia don only pass group stage two times before, while Egypt dey experience knockout phase for di first time since 1934 tournament—wey no get group stage at all. Both sides finish as runners-up for dema respective groups and go dey desperate to set up round of 16 tie with either reigning world champions Argentina or surprise overperformer Cabo Verde.
Di Socceroos take four points from dema group stage campaign, only lose to co-host United States, while Egypt remain unbeaten after dema first World Cup victory over New Zealand wey dey sandwiched in between hard-fought draws with Belgium and Iran. Friday encounter fit really swing for any direction.
No get plenty things to separate Australia and Egypt on paper ahead of Friday encounter, but na di African giants wey go dey considered marginal favorites. Egypt come through group stage without tasting defeat and get defensive knowhow to grind out results for knockout competitions. Hossam Hassan go make im side incredibly difficult to break down and rely on brilliance of im counter-attacking threats, like Mohamed Salah (if passed fit) and Omar Marmoush.
Dat star power fit well be di difference between di sides, with Tony Popovic lacking any elite talent for di final third. Australia score only two times for dema three group games, two times blanking as dem dey frustrated by stubborn rearguards. Anoda irksome outing fit dey on cards for di AFC last representative as Egypt look to sneak into round of 16.
Full back Jacob Italiano and forward Matthew Leckie both no dey available for di Socceroos, but Popovic otherwise get im full complement ready for Friday all-or-nothing affair. Di 52-year-old fit therefore resist temptation to make any alterations from di side wey play goalless draw with Paraguay last time out. Much of di creative burden go fall on shoulders of young Watford attacker Nestory Irankunda, wey impress for di opening win over Türkiye, while dat fixture odas star, goalkeeper Patrick Beach, go dey required to reach top form for di odas end of di field.
Australia predicted lineup vs Egypt (3-4-2-1): Beach; Circati, Souttar, Herrington; Bos, Irvine, O’Neill, Behich; Volpato, Metcalfe; Irankunda.
Egypt dey sweat over fitness of talisman Salah ahead of round of 32 clash, but hope dey say di ex-Liverpool forward go recover in time from hamstring issue wey im sustain against Iran. Elsewhere, issues dey for Hamdy Fathy, Mohamed Abdelmonem, Hossam Abdelmaguid and Ahmed Fatouh wey make dem all doubts to feature, with di latter almost certainly absent due to hamstring tear. Yasser Ibrahim most likely replace Abdelmonem if im miss out at center back, while Karim Hafez suppose step in for Fatouh at left back.
Egypt predicted lineup vs Australia (4-2-3-1): Shobeir; Hany, Rabia, Ibrahim, Hafez; Attia, Saber; Ziko, Salah, Trézéguet; Marmoush.
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Ewan Ross-Murray na freelance soccer writer wey focus primarily on Premier League. Ewan born for Leicester, but im heart and club allegiance belong to Liverpool.
Egypt fit dey without Mohamed Salah when dem take on Australia for last 32 of FIFA World Cup for Dallas. Look ahead with our Australia vs Egypt prediction and preview. Mohamed Salah na injury doubt for Egypt ahead of dema FIFA World Cup last-32 clash with Australia for Dallas Stadium on Thursday. Salah withdraw for second half of di 1-1 draw with Iran last time out, with team doctor Mohamed Abou El-Ela confirm say di 34-year-old suffer hamstring strain. Di Egypt captain no train with rest of di squad on Monday and instead focus on rehabilitation as im aim to recover sufficiently to feature against Australia. Im absence go dey sorely felt by di Pharaohs, given say im create 11 chances for team-mates for group stage – only Belgium Leandro Trossard (13) create more. Salah also dey on target as Egypt claim dema first World Cup victory with 3-1 success against New Zealand, but dema failure to beat Iran combine with Belgium 5-1 thumping of di All Whites mean dem settle for second for Group G due to goal difference.
Still, dem get through di group with three-game unbeaten run – dema longest stretch for World Cup history – and score as many goals as dem don for dema seven prior games at di finals (5). Di goals fit no come as easy for Egypt against stubborn Australia side, though. Although Australia qualify second from Group D, dem follow up opening 2-0 win over Türkiye with disappointing displays for 2-0 loss to United States and goalless draw with Paraguay. Only for 1974 – dema debut tournament – dem no fit find back of di net for three successive games at di finals.
“No get easy games. We don dey against good opposition, good defensive organisation, so e dey difficult to score. But we don pass now to di knockout stages, so we must score now to win, so we go do dat I think,” talk striker Tete Yengi. Egypt no dey expected to call upon Ahmed Fatouh due to hamstring tear, while Mohamed Abdelmonem also dey doubt due to ankle injury. Australia dey without full-back Jacob Italiano and experienced midfielder Mathew Leckie, wey both don suffer tournament-ending injuries. Socceroos boss Tony Popovic go likely continue with Aziz Behich at left-back and Jordan Bos on di opposite side of di defence.
Last-16 meeting with reigning champions Argentina dey likely for di victors of dis match, although dema opponents Cape Verde prove demaselves strong opponents with dema draw against Spain for group stage. Australia and Egypt don meet only two times previously for senior competition. Di Socceroos win 4-3 on penalties after goalless draw for 1987 President Cup, while Egypt dey 3-0 victors for dema most recent encounter, 2010 friendly. However, five members of dis Australia squad (Kye Rowles, Harry Souttar, Riley McGree, Connor Metcalfe, Cameron Devlin) dey part of di team wey dem eliminate from Tokyo Olympics by 2-0 loss to Egypt.
Egypt victory over New Zealand na dema first meeting with side from Oceania – although e dey worth to note say Australia come under AFC confederation dese days. Australia don avoid defeat for dema previous World Cup meetings with teams from Africa. Dem draw 1-1 with Ghana for 2010 and beat Tunisia 1-0 for 2022.
