Egypt go into their final Group A World Cup qualifying match against Guinea-Bissau after securing qualification with a strong 3-0 win over Djibouti. With that victory, the Pharaohs confirmed top spot in the group with one game to spare, marking their fifth World Cup appearance in history. They enter the fixture having shown defensive solidity and consistency in recent matches, Softfootball reports.
Despite already securing qualification, Egypt will not be taking their foot off the pedal. The team will use this fixture as a platform to maintain their unbeaten qualifying record. Also young talents such as Mostafa Mohamed and Adel are expected to feature in this game, giving the coach a chance to test squad depth and tactical flexibility.
Guinea-Bissau, meanwhile, have had mixed form. They’ve managed wins and draws in the group, including a 2-0 win against Djibouti, but also dropped points and suffered defeats. Their head-to-head meetings with Egypt have been tight: they drew in Guinea-Bissau and lost narrowly when hosting Egypt in Group A. They will approach this match knowing they have little to lose and may look for pride and a positive result.
Having struggled defensively in several matches, Guinea-Bissau will need to stay compact and disciplined if they hope to contain the Pharaohs. Coach Baciro Candé is likely to be very organized at the back and quick transitions, knowing that Egypt’s high pressing and movement can easily overwhelm less compact sides.
Team News
Egypt are dealing with several absences. Omar Marmoush is ruled out due to a knee ligament injury sustained early in the match against Burkina Faso, and other players including Ibrahim Adel are unavailable through injury.
The squad called up Mostafa Fathy to replace Marmoush, and made several changes due to players being ruled out. Meanwhile, Three time PFA Player of the year Mohamed Salah remains a key figure in attack and Omer Shehata, among others, are expected to be involved once more.
Interestingly, away from this dead rubber game, this will be Egypt’s fifth appearance at the World Cup finals tournament despite dominating the african scene, the joy of the egyptians knew no bounds, celebrations was seen all over the country and the egyptian team wasnt left behind. The Egyptian football via its official X handle, posted an exclusive video that showed the post match reactions of the pharoahs emotional celebrations with the fans in the stadium, watch video below;
Guinea-Bissau’s available roster has no widely reported major injury or suspension concerns ahead of this match. Players who have made impacts in recent qualifiers include those who have scored or provided service in tight matches, especially their performance in the group phases against Djibouti and drawing with Egypt away. The coaching staff will likely stick with experienced players to try to limit Egypt’s attacking threats.
Possible Lineups
Egypt possible starting lineup:
Shobeir; Hany, Rabia, Koka; Attia, Lasheen; Zizo, Salah, Trezeguet, Adel; Mohamed
The Egpytian football official X handle, posted an update showing that the players are in good spirit during the training session on the pitch where the match is set to take place, they posted;
Guinea-Bissau possible starting lineup:
Balde; Rodrigues, Mane, Cande, Nanu; Nhaga, Gomes, Camara; E. Balde, Beto, Tchami
SoftFootball Prediction
Egypt are expected to dominate possession and with qualification already secured, they will rotate their squad but still push for a strong finish. Guinea-Bissau will aim to defend compactly and hit on the break, but scoring opportunities may be limited.
Prediction: Egypt 2-0 Guinea-Bissau
