Egypt s defender Ahmed Hegazi during the Match. Photo: AFP
"Egypt coach Hossam Hassan granted permission on Sunday for the team's captain Ahmed Hegazi to fly to Saudi Arabia for an urgent family matter, as his family resides there," the EFA revealed in a statement.
Hegazi had informed Egypt's coach that he intends to return to the camp on Monday to resume preparatory training for the Egypt Capital Cup final against Croatia, scheduled for Tuesday, according to the statement.
The 33-year-old player missed the Capital Cup opening game, a 1-0 victory over New Zealand on Friday.
Egypt is eagerly looking forward to the high-stakes Capital Cup final against Croatia, set to take place at Egypt Stadium in the New Administrative Capital on Tuesday.
Hegazi, a seasoned player representing Ittihad Jeddah, has accumulated 88 appearances with the Egyptian national team, including three matches in the 2018 World Cup in Russia, where the Pharaohs were eliminated in the group stage.
Egypt's triumph over New Zealand in the friendly tournament has infused optimism into the nation's footballing future under the guidance of newly appointed coach Hassan, as the team sets its sights on promising prospects in international competitions.
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