Egypt coach Hassan Shehata will have to cope with shortage of options upfront as well as lack of adequate replacements in midfield as the Pharaohs face DR Congo in a crucial World Cup qualifier. Ismaili striker Mohamed Fadl has pulled out of the squad for Sunday's game due to injury while Middlesbrough's frontman Mido is doubtful as he is suffering from a hamstring problem. Although Mido traveled to Kinshasa with the rest of his teammates, Shehata is unlikely to count on him. Emad Meteb, who recently joined Ittihad Jeddah on a season-long loan from Ahli, is certain to partner Wigan Athletic's in-form man Amr Zaki upfront. Although Meteb has scored twice in Egypt's last competitive match – a 2-0 home victory over Malawi in the World Cup qualifiers, he was never deemed as a reliable striker. He lacked the sufficient firepower whenever he played on the international stage, failing to assure Egyptian fans that he is capable of delivering the goods. If the 25-year-old fails to perform well on Sunday night, Shehata will have no alternative but to keep faith with him. There will be no recognized striker on the bench.
Midfield Dilemma The injury of regular midfielder Mohamed Shawky will force Shehata to switch the roles of other players. Skipper Ahmed Hassan is expected to fill in for Shawky, partnering Hosni Abd-Rabou in the heart of Egypt's midfield. But this will only result in the Ahli man losing an important aspect of his game – versatility. Despite being a natural midfielder, Hassan has been consistently used as a right-back. He can also serve as a playmaker. However, Hassan is highly unlikely to gain much freedom against DR Congo because he will have to cover the defensive duties which Shawky usually performs. Shehata will be also concerned should either Hassan or Abd-Rabou sustains an injury during the match. Their back-ups lack international experience. Ismaili's Mohamed Hommos is rarely called up to Egypt squad while Petrojet's Ahmed Shaaban is yet to make a competitive appearance with the six-time African champions. Shehata, who led Egypt to back-to-back Nations Cup titles, will be keeping his fingers crossed that his players come through the match unscathed.
