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Egypt sack coach after World Cup qualifier draw with Gabon

Egypt’s Football Association on Monday sacked national coach Hossam al-Badry a day after the Pharaohs drew with minnows Gabon in a 2022 World Cup qualifier.

“The association decided in an emergency meeting …to thank the coaching and technical staff for their services with the national squad,” the EFA said in a short statement on its social media accounts.

A new coach is expected to be named within 48 hours, the EFA added.

Egypt’s sluggish performance against Gabon on Sunday, in which they needed a 90th minute equaliser to rescue a point, and a laboured 1-0 win against Angola in their previous World Cup qualifier, had prompted furious criticism from disappointed fans on social media.

The Pharaohs’ star Mohamed Salah lined up for the Gabon match after missing the Angola game as his club Liverpool refused to release him because the country is on the British government’s Covid-19 red list of countries and the forward would have been forced to quarantine on his return to England. 

Badry, who had been in the job for two years, said he had refused to tender his resignation under pressure from the EFA, forcing them to sack him. 

The coach noted the Pharaohs were still top of their World Cup qualifying group with four points and that he had guided them to qualification for next year’s African Cup of Nations in Cameroon.

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