AGENCIES: Mohamed Salah could miss Egypt’s next two matches at the Africa Cup of Nations due to injury.
The Egyptian Football Association confirmed on social media tonight the severity of the problem the Liverpool star picked up in yesterday’s 2-2 draw with Ghana.
The statement said: “Mohamed Salah has suffered a muscle strain in his back and will miss two matches.
“The X-rays that Mohamed Salah, the captain of the Egyptian national team, underwent, showed that he suffered a strain in the posterior muscle and he will miss the team’s next two matches in the African Cup of Nations against Cape Verde, and then the round of 16 match in the event of qualification.”
Egypt have two points from their opening two games and face Cape Verde on Monday.
The news will come as a relief to Reds boss Jurgen Klopp, who admitted concern for his forward ahead of the trip to Bournemouth on Sunday.
Klopp said: “I spoke with him last night. They are doing further assessments”
“In that moment, it was a shock and couldn’t see why he was hit by something so intense. You have these kind of hamstring injuries in a different way.
“He felt it and we know how rarely Mo goes off, or needs to go off, so it is definitely something but we will see.”
Egypt manager Rui Vitoria had also raised concerns after seeing his side share the spoils with the Black Stars.
He said: “I hope it’s not a big problem but it was a problem in the first half.
“It was difficult timing for us because in the second half, we could only make two substitutions.
“I think it’s not dangerous but let’s see if Salah recovers.”
