“It will be a strong one, not an easy one. We will do our best to return with the three points,” Galal said in the pre-match press conference on Wednesday.

“We are facing bad luck, as we will miss the services of several players like Mohamed Salah, Mahmoud Trezeguet, Mohamed Elneny and Ahmed Hegazi,” the 54-year-old coach added.

The seven-time African Champions Egypt secured a precious 1-0 home victory over Guinea in the opening match of the 2023 AFCON qualifiers.

On Monday, the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) announced that Egypt skipper and Liverpool star Mohamed Salah, 29, will also not be available for the Ethiopia game after medical scans revealed that he is suffering from a minor muscular strain.

Aston Villa winger Mahmoud Trezeguet, 27, missed playing with the Pharaohs in the Guinea test after picking up a knock while warming up for the game, and he will not be available tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Arsenal’s midfielder Mohamed Elneny, 29, and Ittihad Jeddah defender Ahmed Hegazi, 31, are still recovering from their injuries that also kept them out of the Guinea game.

On Tuesday, Ahly duo central defender Yasser Ibrahim, 29, and defender Mohamed Abdel-Moneim, 23, added more woes for coach Galal after the EFA’s confirmation that both will miss Ethiopia game also due to flu and injury respectively.

Galal included both Ismaily defender Baher El-Mohamadi and Future FC winger Ahmed Refaat on Monday in his squad for Thursday’s game as replacements for the injured players.

After Thursday’s game, Egypt’s team will fly to Seoul to play a friendly against South Korea on 14 June.

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