ARLINGTON, United States, July 4, (v7n) - Egypt’s captain and star forward Mohamed Salah has been named in the starting lineup for Friday's World Cup Round of 32 clash against Australia in Texas, successfully overcoming a recent hamstring scare.
The 34-year-old attacker had picked up the minor injury and was forced off early during Egypt’s final group-stage match, a 1-1 draw against Iran a week ago. While head coach Hossam Hassan had previously expressed uncertainty about Salah's readiness to start, the talismanic forward was cleared to lead the Pharaohs' front line alongside Manchester City's Omar Marmoush. Salah enters the knockout phase with one goal and two assists under his belt for the tournament.
The high-stakes fixture at the AT&T Stadium (home of the Dallas Cowboys) guarantees a historic milestone, as both Egypt and Australia are fighting to win a World Cup knockout match for the first time in their histories. The winner of this encounter will advance to the Round of 16 to face either reigning champions Argentina or tournament debutants Cape Verde.
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