Egypt head into their highly anticipated Africa Cup of Nations semi-final against Senegal facing a serious disciplinary headache, with six key players just one booking away from suspension.
The Pharaohs meet Senegal on Wednesday at Ibn Batouta Stadium, knowing that any yellow card for these stars could rule them out of the final or the third-place play-off.
Goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy, along with Hamdy Fathy, Rami Rabia, Marwan Attia, Ahmed Fattouh and Hossam Abdelmaguid, all carry a single yellow card picked up during the group stage, round of 16 or quarter-finals.
Another caution for any of them against Senegal would be a huge blow to coach Hossam Hassan’s plans at the business end of the tournament. The staff are expected to urge the players to stay fully committed but avoid unnecessary challenges or protests.
Egypt reached the last four after a thrilling 3-2 victory over Ivory Coast, showing resilience and attacking flair. Senegal, meanwhile, booked their semi-final place with a tight 1-0 win over Mali, underlining how fine the margins will be when the two giants collide.
