Egypt U-23 manager Shawki Gharib has called up 27 players for their upcoming friendly games against Saudi Arabia on 22 and 26 March, the Egyptian Football Association announced. This is the first camp for the national side under new manager Gharib, who took over in January this year, as they gear up for the Africa U-23 Cup of Nations, which takes place in Egypt next year. Ahly's Salah Mohsen, Karim Walid and Akram Tawfik were named in the squad alongside Zamalek left-back Ahmed Fatouh and keeper Omar Salah. "The Egypt U-23 management were following all the league games and Egyptian teams' African fixtures," Egypt manager Gharib said. "That's why the selections all came from the first-tier league. In the upcoming period we would have more time to select players from lower-tier leagues." The Africa U-23 Cup of Nations winner, runner-up and third-placed team qualify for the 2020 Olympic games in Japan. Egypt squad: Omar Salah (Zamalek), Ahmed Fatouh (Zamalek), Salah Mohsen (Ahly), Karim Walid (Ahly), Akram Tawfik (Ahly), Ahmed Yasser Rayan (Ahly), Ahmed Hamdi (Ahly), Ahmed Ramadan (Ahly), Walid Ateya (Ismaily), Mohamed Essam (Talae El-Geish), Ahmed Hani (Talae El-Geish), Mohamed Essam (Talae El-Geish), Mohamed Abdel-Salam (Petrojet), Mahmoud Emad (Petrojet), Osama Galal (Maqassa), Ahmed Dessouki (Maqassa), Taher Mohamed Taher (Arab Contractors), Nasser Mansi (Dakhleya), Ahmed Mostafa (Dakhleya), Ahmed Said (Wadi Degla), Mahmoud Marei (Wadi Degla), Fawzi El-Hennawi (Alexandria's Ittihad), Marwan El-Naggar (Alexandria's Ittihad), Mohamed Farag (El-Entag El-Harby), Karim El-Eraki (Masry), Nasser Maher (Smouha), Omar Wael (Ragaa), Sherif Reda (Assiouty Sport) (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.)
