The stakes are incredibly high in World Cup qualifying this week. For some nations, a victory means booking their ticket to football’s greatest stage. One superstar, Mohamed Salah, despite a tricky club season, has a chance to deliver a historic moment for his country today.
Salah, the talisman for Liverpool, has had a quiet start to the club season, netting only three goals in ten appearances. His team also stumbled with three straight losses before the recent international break. But now, with the Egyptian national team, he stands ready to write a new chapter. Egypt leads Group A with a strong 20 points. That’s five points ahead of second-place Burkina Faso, and only six points remain up for grabs. A win against Djibouti, the group’s last-place team with just one point, will secure Egypt’s fourth-ever World Cup berth. This crucial match will be played in Casablanca, Morocco, a neutral venue for Djibouti, who rank 193rd in the FIFA standings compared to Egypt’s 35th. Fans remember Salah’s four-goal performance in their earlier 6-0 thrashing of Djibouti. Striker Mostafa Mohamed, who plays for Nantes and is coached by Luís Castro, is confident Salah’s recent lack of goals will end. “Mo is a great star,” Mohamed shared, “and we are lucky to have him in our team.”
Cape Verde’s Big Chance
Egypt isn’t the only nation eyeing World Cup qualification today. Cape Verde also controls its own destiny. Coached by Bubista, the team sits atop Group D with 19 points, four clear of Cameroon. They travel to Tripoli to face Libya, hoping to make history by qualifying for the finals for the very first time. Ghana is another team that could seal its spot today, but their qualification hinges on the outcome of the match between Comoros and Madagascar.