Mohamed Salah said Sunday he is convinced he will win the Africa Cup of Nations with Egypt “sooner or later” but admitted his country will need to improve if they are to do so at this year’s edition, where he is currently out injured.
The Liverpool forward spoke to reporters ahead of the
Pharaohs’ decisive final group game against Cape Verde on Monday, which Egypt
need to win to be sure of qualifying for the last 16.
But they will be without Salah for the game in Abidjan, as
he recovers from the hamstring injury which forced him off in the first half of
the team’s 2-2 draw with Ghana on Thursday.
“I would love to win it, absolutely,” Salah said when asked
what it would mean to win the AFCON to add to the medals he has picked up at
club level with Liverpool.
“I have won everything possible but this one not yet.
“It will happen somehow, that is what I believe, and
whatever I believe I achieve, so sooner or later it will happen.”
Salah made his Egypt debut in 2011, a year after they won
the last of their record seven Cup of Nations titles.
He played in the teams that lost the finals in Gabon in
2017, and at the last edition in Cameroon two years ago, and is now determined
to go one step further this time.
“Everybody knows what it means to any player to win an
Africa Cup,” the 31-year-old said.
“We were unlucky at the last one and also in Gabon. The
players are very motivated to win the tournament. We all want to win it.”
However, Rui Vitoria’s team have not convinced so far in
Ivory Coast, needing Salah’s injury-time penalty to draw 2-2 with Mozambique in
their first match, and then having to come from behind twice to hold Ghana
after Salah went off.
If they beat Cape Verde — who have already secured first
place in Group B — Egypt will advance to a last-16 tie in San-Pedro on January
28.
Salah has already been ruled out of that game too, and is
only expected to return for a quarter-final on February 2 or 3, should Egypt
make it that far.
“At the end of the day we are not doing great at the moment
but we have a fantastic team and a great coach, so we just need to stay
focused,” Salah said.
“I believe that with hard work everything is possible, so we
just need to win one game to qualify and we go from there.”
Of his own fitness, he added: “My injury is still there but
the most important thing now is to speak about the game.
“We are very positive, we have great players and a great
team, and we just need to fight and see what will happen.”
Salah’s place in the starting line-up could be taken by
Mostafa Fathi of Cairo club Pyramids, who came on for him against Ghana.
AFP