Ismaili were rocked by the news that midfielder Hosni Abd-Rabou is ruled out until 2011 with a knee injury. The Egypt midfielder sustained the injury in Tuesday's friendly with lower division Hawamdeya and a cruciate ligament damage has been confirmed. "The scan on Wednesday proved that he ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament," Ismaili doctor Magdi Al-Baz told FilGoal.com. Abd-Rabou is expected to undergo surgery in July, while a six-month layoff is almost certain. It means that the 25-year-old will miss Egypt's opening game in the 2012 African Cup of Nations qualifiers against Sierra Leone in September. The news comes as a severe blow for Ismaili, who missed key midfielders Omar Gamal and Ahmed Khairi to long-term injuries for most of last season.