After a fantastic first part of the season in Europe, Mohamed Salah is back in Africa. Liverpool’s best player (18 goals and nine assists in 27 games) has paused his Premier League adventure after scoring a brace in a 4-2 win over Newcastle and headed to Ivory Coast for the annual AFCON. And Salah is hoping that this one will be ‘third time’s a charm’. After losing two finals with Egypt (2017 against Cameroon and 2022 against Senegal), the Liverpool forward wants to finally win it for the first time, and his country’s eight time. Drawn with Ghana, Cape Verde and Mozambique in Group B, it is widely expected that Egypt will finish first and qualify for the round of 16, but Salah and his teammates want more.Klopp admits he wishes Egypt to crash out of AFCON early”I want to win this competition. Having come so close twice, I would love to help Egypt win the final and lift the Cup of Nations trophy. I am so happy to play in this wonderful African football tournament and my teammates and I are desperate to succeed. It means a lot to play for the Egyptian national team. It is a great feeling to put on the red jersey, which has been worn by some many greats in the past” he said to the local media.AFCON 2023: Top 5 Young Players to watchSalah always emphasizes the importance of playing for the national team and bringing you to his countrymen back in Egypt.”Every time I step on the pitch I am conscious of my role — I am representing millions of Egyptians. We know the streets of Cairo, Alexandria and other cities, towns and villages will be empty when we play in the Ivory Coast. People will either be at home or in cafes, cheering our every move, willing us to score and wishing us success” said Salah.The heaviest possible blow for Super Eagles: Boniface is out of AFCON!Otto Addo, who quit as Black Stars coach after an early 2022 World Cup exit in Qatar, surprisingly said playing against favorites Egypt will be the easiest match for his former team.”Egypt are going to be overwhelming favourites to beat Ghana so all the pressure will be on them. The Black Stars will be motivated by the fact that no one gives them a chance. I believe it is easier to face Mohamed Salah and the other Egyptian stars than trying to break down the well-organised defences of Cape Verde and Mozambique” he said.##NAJAVA_MECA_789248##
