Egypt lose defender Mohamed Abdel Moneim for South Sudan AFCON qualifier

Egypt defender Mohamed Abdel Moneim will miss the Pharaohs’ second 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against South Sudan on September 29 after being left out of the travelling squad due to concerns over the artificial turf pitch.

The Nice defender becomes the latest key player to miss the crucial Group B encounter, joining captain Mohamed Salah, who will also not travel with the national team for the fixture.

According to the Egyptian Football Association, Abdel Moneim’s omission is directly linked to his previous anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) surgery and medical advice from his French club, Nice.

The French club reportedly warned against allowing the defender to play on an artificial surface because of the potential risks associated with his previous knee injury.

Egypt team manager Ibrahim Hassan confirmed the decision in an official statement, explaining that the national team had taken the medical advice into consideration before finalising the travelling squad.

“It has been decided to remove Mohamed Abdel Moneim from the travelling squad this afternoon to South Sudan due to the player having previously undergone anterior cruciate ligament surgery and the medical warnings against playing on the pitch surface for the South Sudan match, which is made of artificial turf, based on the medical report from his French club Nice,” Ibrahim Hassan said.

The absence of Abdel Moneim leaves head coach Hossam Hassan with another important selection issue to address ahead of the encounter, particularly with Egypt looking to respond after failing to beat Angola in their opening qualifier.

The Pharaohs were held to a frustrating 0-0 draw by Angola at the Cairo International Stadium on Friday, despite creating several opportunities during the match.

The result left Egypt with one point from their opening Group B fixture, making Tuesday’s meeting with South Sudan an important opportunity for the seven-time African champions to record their first victory of the qualifying campaign.

Egypt’s squad is scheduled to leave on Sunday afternoon for South Sudan, with the technical team expected to continue preparations for the match while managing the fitness of the players available.

The qualifier will be played on artificial turf, a factor that has already influenced Egypt’s squad selection, with both Abdel Moneim’s previous ACL surgery and the medical advice from Nice playing a decisive role in the defender’s withdrawal.

The Pharaohs will now aim to secure maximum points in South Sudan and put their qualification campaign firmly back on track after dropping points at home against Angola.