Essam Al-Hadari is expected to start Egypt's African Cup of Nations qualifier against Sierra Leone on Sunday, the team's goalkeeping coach Ahmed Soliman said. "Al-Hadari is likely to be included in the starting line-up against Sierra Leone," Soliman told Nile Sport on Thursday. The veteran keeper has been Egypt's first-choice goalie for the past six years, during which the Pharaohs won the African Cup of Nations three times and appeared at the FIFA Confederations Cup once. The Zamalek guardian, who made his name with Egyptian champions Ahli, is widely regarded as one of the best keepers in Africa. He joined Zamalek from Ismaili in the close season to vie with Abdul-Wahed Al-Sayed, who is Egypt's second-choice keeper, for a regular place in the team's starting XI. Al-Hadari made two appearances to Al-Sayed's one in Zamalek's first three Egyptian Premier League games. "The presence of Al-Hadari and Al-Sayed in one club is a problem for the national team," Soliman added. "One of them will not play regularly and that will leave us with no choice but to exclude him from the squad." Seven-time African champions Egypt, who won a third consecutive Nations Cup title in Angola last January, host Sierra Leone in Group G at Cairo Stadium. The group also includes South Africa and Niger.
