New hope for Mo Salah’s World Cup dream as Egypt team doctor says he is “optimistic”

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Liverpool's Mohamed Salah reacts after sustaining an injury. (REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach)
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Liverpool's Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah (R) falls with Real Madrid's Spanish defender Sergio Ramos leading to Salah being injured during the UEFA Champions League final football match on May 26, 2018. (AFP / GENYA SAVILOV)
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Real Madrid's Sergio Ramos, right, walks away after a collision with Liverpool's Mohamed Salah, left, during the Champions League Final soccer match between Real Madrid and Liverpool at the Olimpiyskiy Stadium in Kiev, Ukraine, on May 26, 2018. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
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Liverpool's Mohamed Salah receives medical attention after sustaining an injury while Liverpool's Jordan Henderson looks on. (REUTERS/Phil Noble)
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Liverpool's Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah (3rd R) is comforted by team members and Real Madrid's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo (2nd L) as he leaves the pitch after injury during the UEFA Champions League final football match between Liverpool and Real Madrid at the Olympic Stadium in Kiev, Ukraine on May 26, 2018. (AFP / Sergei Supinsky)
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Liverpool's Sadio Mane consoles teammate Mohamed Salah as he is substituted off due to injury. (REUTERS/Andrew Boyers)
Updated 27 May 2018
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New hope for Mo Salah’s World Cup dream as Egypt team doctor says he is “optimistic”

  • Egyptian national team doctor says he is optimistic Salah might still be able to play in the World Cup

DUBAI: Egyptian superstar footballer Mo Salah’s World Cup dreams could be revived according to the national team’s doctor, who said he was optimistic the star could still play after he was hurt during the Champions League final on Saturday.

“Through follow ups on the phone with the national team’s delegation in Italy... the officials at Liverpool said an X-ray on Salah’s shoulder” showed the injury to be in the ligaments, the Egyptian Football Association said on Twitter on Saturday.

Salah suffered a dislocated shoulder when he was brought crashing to the floor by Real Madrid captain, Sergio Ramos.

The Egyptian star continued to play for four minutes, but was eventually forced to quit the match in tears.

Liverpool went on to lose 3-1 in the match.

Egyptian football journalist Marwan Ahmed told the BBC: “Honestly, I think it’s a nightmare. There are no words to describe it. There was a minute of silence after we’d seen Salah go down and then when he went down the second time, we knew it wasn’t good and that he would leave the pitch.

“No Egyptian wanted to see that happen, we’ve never had an Egyptian in the Champions League final. It’s really sad – I can’t find the exact words to describe it. Some people were in tears.”

However the national team’s doctor, Mohamed Abou Al-Ela “expressed his optimism that Salah would make it for the World Cup matches according to this diagnosis,” the association said.

The Egyptian FA’s optimism contrasts with statements by Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp who said immediately after the game on Saturday Salah’s injury was “serious.”

The Egyptian Minister Youth and Sports Khaled Abd Elaziz also expressed optimism.

“Mohamed Salah, God willing, will be on the national team’s final list for the World Cup, which is to be announced on June 4,” Abd Elaziz said on Facebook.

Sadness and anger filled cafes where Salah's fans gathered to follow the Champions League final, as they watched as the star was forced to leave the match barely half an hour into the game.

Salah had cemented his status as a national hero by leading Egypt to their first World Cup qualification in 28 years.

The team's coach, Argentinean Hector Cuper, said a month before the World Cup kick off that The Pharaohs were banking on Salah in Russia.

Egypt’s first World Cup finals match is against Uruguay on June 15, and they play Saudi Arabia in Volgograd on June 25.


Man City held by Solanke stunner, Sesko delivers ‘best feeling’ for Man Utd

Updated 6 sec ago
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Man City held by Solanke stunner, Sesko delivers ‘best feeling’ for Man Utd

  • Solanke’s absence for most of the season due to injury has played a major part in Spurs’ struggles

ONDON: Manchester City’s Premier League title challenge hit a fresh stumbling block as Dominic Solanke’s acrobatic strike salvaged a 2-2 draw for struggling Tottenham on Sunday, while Benjamin Sesko secured another thrilling 3-2 win for Manchester United over Fulham.
City were cruising toward what would have been another damaging defeat for Spurs boss Thomas Frank as they led 2-0 at half-time.
But Solanke scored twice in the second half to leave Pep Guardiola’s men six points adrift of leaders Arsenal.
City have won just one of their six league games in 2026 to allow the Gunners to move closer to a first title in 22 years.
“We haven’t had the consistency to win the games when others were able to do it,” said Guardiola.
Rayan Cherki fired the visitors into an early lead and was only denied a spectacular second by a brilliant Guglielmo Vicario save.
Antoine Semenyo did double City’s advantage before the break to spark uproar from the furious Spurs support at half-time.
However, Tottenham flipped the script in the second period to give Frank some breathing space.
Solanke’s absence for most of the season due to injury has played a major part in Spurs’ struggles.
The England international’s finish from close range halved the deficit before he produced a stunning moment of athleticism to hook the ball past Gianluigi Donnarumma with a scorpion kick.

Sesko rides to Man Utd rescue

A third consecutive win since Michael Carrick took the reins at Old Trafford propelled United back into the top four at the expense of Chelsea and Liverpool.
A week on from a 3-2 win at Arsenal, it was another throwback to United’s glory days during Carrick’s playing career as they snatched victory in dramatic fashion after a Fulham fightback.
Goals from Casemiro and Matheus Cunha either side of half-time put United in command.
Just a second defeat in nine league games dealt a blow to Fulham’s own hopes of European football next season.
The visitors showed plenty of fight as Raul Jimenez’s penalty five minutes from time began a frantic finale before Kevin’s spectacular strike looked to have salvaged a point.
But United went straight down the other end and Sesko spun onto Bruno Fernandes’ pass before blasting into the top corner.
“It’s the best feeling I have to say,” Carrick said.
“Some of the best moments I’ve been part of here, you can dissect performances and there are plusses and not, and then you get a moment of elation and excitement like that.”

Villa’s title dreams fade

To cap a fine day for Arsenal, third-placed Aston Villa were beaten 1-0 at home by 10-man Brentford to remain seven points off the top.
Kevin Schade was sent off for kicking out at Matty Cash on 42 minutes.
But in first-half stoppage time, the Bees took the lead when Dango Ouattara blasted in from a narrow angle.
Villa laid seige to the Brentford goal after the break but lacked the invention to break the visitors down.
Tammy Abraham did have the ball in the net but was denied a debut goal on his return to Villa after a VAR review found the ball had gone out of play in the build-up.
Crystal Palace also failed to make the most of a man advantage in a 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest.
Morgan Gibbs-White’s early strike put Forest in front, but Neco Williams’ decision to punch the ball clear off his own goal-line just before half-time was the break the visitors needed.
Ismaila Sarr netted from the penalty spot after Williams was shown a red card.
However, Palace failed to end their 12-game wait for a win and remain just three points above Forest and nine clear of the bottom three.