Mo Salah’s bad fortune in the AFCON may look set to continue after the Egyptian was forced off the field of play with an injury incurred during a clash with Ghana.
The Athletic’s Simon Hughes reported the 31-year-old’s apparent hamstring concern on X shortly before West Ham’s Mohamed Kudus put The Black Stars 1-0 up.
Ex-Nigeria striker Efan Ekoku had this to say about the incident occurring just before the stroke of half-time, courtesy of BBC Three’s coverage (via BBC Sport): “He is leaving the field so easily, you get the feeling it might not be that serious and he might have a chance to play in that third group game. It looked like he was holding his hamstring.”
What could this mean for Salah?
If it’s a more serious injury than the ex-Wimbledon star has suggested, it could, theoretically, mean a return to Merseyside to be treated by our physios.
However, with Egypt’s hopes of qualification to the knockout round still up in the air, we’d be surprised to see such an eventuality come to pass much before the Round of 16 (beginning at the end of January).
Fingers-crossed it’s just a temporary setback and we won’t see the No.10 lost to a (rare) severe injury.