ABIDJAN: Egypt coach Rui Vitoria said it was “too early to say” whether Mohamed Salah would play again at this year’s Africa Cup of Nations after he sustained an injury in Thursday’s 2-2 draw with Ghana.
The Liverpool striker went off late in the first half of the Group B game in Abidjan after appearing to clutch the back of his left leg.
“We don’t know yet what is the problem. I hope not a big problem...It is too early to say something,” said Vitoria after his team’s second successive 2-2 draw in the tournament.
“Salah is an amazing player, one of the best players in the world, so we want to have this kind of player always with us.”
Salah’s penalty in stoppage time spared Egypt from a shock loss to Mozambique in their opening game, and the Pharaohs were up against it once more against a much-improved Ghana side.
The Black Stars, who were stunned 2-1 by Cape Verde to begin the competition, took the lead after Salah’s injury when Mohammed Kudus hammered in a long-range shot in first-half stoppage time.
Omar Marmoush equalized before Kudus struck again, but Mostafa Mohamed ensured Egypt came away with a point as the Nantes forward netted for the second game in a row.
“The players were upset after conceding at the end of the first half...but it’s football, we changed the mindset in the second half, we went for the game with positive energy,” said Vitoria.
“Not because of Salah, but because the result was not good. The reaction and commitment of the team were good, but Salah is an amazing player and we cannot forget that.”
Vitoria insisted that regardless of the nature of Salah’s injury his team is still capable of winning a record-extending eighth AFCON title.
“Nobody wins the title without coming through difficult games...today we showed, mainly in the second half, the courage and quality of this team.”
‘Too early to say’ as Egypt sweat on Salah injury in Africa Cup of Nations
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‘Too early to say’ as Egypt sweat on Salah injury in Africa Cup of Nations
Gordon scores four as Newcastle hit Qarabag for six
- Gordon stole the show by netting four times before half-time
- England forward Gordon has netted 14 times this season, including 10 in the Champions League
BAKU: Anthony Gordon starred with a brilliant four-goal haul as Newcastle crushed Qarabag 6-1 in the first leg of their Champions League play-off tie on Wednesday.
Gordon stole the show by netting four times before half-time at the Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium.
Malick Thiaw was also on target for Newcastle before the interval and Jacob Murphy netted after the break to complete the demolition.
Elvin Jafarguliyev’s second-half reply was little consolation for Azerbaijani underdogs Qarabag, who paid the price for wretched defending in a miserable performance.
England forward Gordon has netted 14 times this season, including 10 in the Champions League, taking him past Alan Shearer as Newcastle’s highest scorer in a single campaign in Europe’s elite club competition.
Gordon’s memorable night on the shores of the Caspian Sea ensured the second leg at St. James’ Park on February 24 should be a mere formality.
Barring a miracle comeback from Qarabag, Eddie Howe’s side will face Barcelona or Chelsea in the last 16.
Having ended Newcastle’s 70-year wait for a major domestic trophy by winning the League Cup last season, Howe set his sights on more history this week, admitting it would “mean everything” to steer them into the Champions League last 16 for the first time.
Howe’s cherished target is now within touching distance.
Booed off less than two weeks ago after a defeat against Brentford, Newcastle made the 2,529-mile trip to Baku revitalized by successive away victories against Tottenham in the Premier League and Aston Villa in the FA Cup.
It was the longest journey any English team had ever made for a Champions League knockout game, but there was no sign of fatigue as Newcastle ripped Qarabag to shreds.
Gordon started as Newcastle’s central striker as Howe again deployed misfiring German forward Nick Woltemade in a deeper role.
- Gordon runs riot -
Howe’s decision to make Gordon the focal point of his attack paid off after just three minutes.
Dan Burn advanced from defense and played a perfect pass toward Gordon, who timed his run to beat the Qarabag offside trap before planting a clinical finish into the far corner from 12 yards.
Qarabag beat Benfica, Copenhagen and Eintracht Frankfurt and drew with Chelsea in the group stage.
Yet it was their 6-0 thrashing at Liverpool in the last game of the phase that proved more relevant as Newcastle doubled their advantage in the eighth minute.
Kieran Trippier’s pin-point cross picked out Thiaw and he guided a composed header past Mateusz Kochalski from close range.
Newcastle were carving open the creaky Qarabag defense at will and their barrage brought a third goal in the 32nd minute.
Matheus Silva blocked Harvey Barnes’ shot with his arm as he slid along the turf and Gordon stroked in the resulting penalty.
Gordon bagged his third goal in predatory style just 60 seconds later, seizing on Kevin Medina’s slip and rounding Kochalski to slot into the empty net.
It was Gordon’s first professional hat-trick, making him only the third Newcastle player to score a Champions League treble after Shearer and Faustino Asprilla.
Gordon’s 33-minute haul was also the fastest Champions League hat-trick by an English player.
The 24-year-old wasn’t finished yet and his break into the area ended with Kochalski fouling him, conceding a penalty that Gordon converted with ease.
Jafarguliyev got one back in the 54th minute with a low drive that was initially disallowed for offside before VAR allowed the goal to stand.
Murphy notched his first goal in the Champions League in the 72nd minute, whipping a deflected strike past Kochalski to put the seal on Newcastle’s perfect evening.
