Afcon 2023: Egypt's Mohamed Salah determined to add trophy to glittering club haul with Liverpool
- Published
Mohamed Salah was replaced during first-half added time of Egypt's second group-stage match of Afcon 2023
Mohamed Salah says he is convinced he will win the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) with Egypt "sooner or later".
Liverpool forward Salah is set to miss his country's next two games with a muscle injury he sustained during their 2-2 draw with Ghana on Thursday.
The Pharaohs must beat Cape Verde in their final group game on Monday to be sure of qualification from their group.
"I would love to win it, absolutely," the 31-year-old said. "It will happen somehow - that is what I believe,"
"Whatever I believe, I achieve - so sooner or later, it will happen."
'Everybody knows what it means'
Salah has won every major English trophy as part of a glittering career since joining the Reds before the 2017-18 season, as well as the 2018-19 Champions League, when he scored the opening goal in their 2-0 win over Tottenham in the final.
The forward has experienced heartache at the three editions of Afcon he has been involved in, though, starting with a defeat to Cameroon in Gabon in the 2017 final, when Salah set up Egypt's early opener before their opponents won courtesy of two second-half goals.
A late South Africa winner condemned Egypt to a round of 16 exit on home soil in 2019, and Salah did not have the chance to take his spot kick as hosts Cameroon prevailed on penalties in the final of the 2021 tournament following a goalless draw
"I have won everything possible but this one not yet," said Salah, whose international debut in 2011 came a year after Egypt won the last of their record seven Afcon titles and preceded a run of three tournaments they failed to qualify for.
"Everybody knows what it means to any player to win an Africa Cup.
Salah scored in the seventh minute of stoppage time to salvage a draw against Mozambique, who are 78 places below them in Fifa's world rankings
"We were unlucky at the last one and also in Gabon. The players are very motivated to win the tournament. We all want to win it."
Rui Vitoria's team needed Salah's added-time penalty to draw 2-2 with Mozambique in their opening match of Afcon 2023 in Ivory Coast.
They then came from behind twice to draw 2-2 with Ghana after Salah went off with a back muscle strain shortly before half-time.
If they beat Cape Verde, who have already secured first place in Group B, Egypt will advance to a last-16 tie in San-Pedro on 28 January.
Salah has already been ruled out of that game and is only expected to return for a quarter-final on 2 or 3 February, should Egypt make it that far.
"My injury is still there but the most important thing now is to speak about the game," Salah said.
"We are not doing great at the moment but we have a fantastic team and a great coach, so we just need to stay focused.
"I believe that with hard work everything is possible, so we just need to win one game to qualify and we go from there.
"We are very positive. We have great players and a great team, and we just need to fight and see what will happen."