Salah poised to fire Pharaohs to World Cup

LIVERPOOL star Mohamed Salah could this week become the second African football icon after Achraf Hakimi to secure his presence at the 2026 World Cup in North America.

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Salah will captain Egypt in Burkina Faso in a top-of-the-table African zone Group A qualifier on Tuesday, and victory for the Pharaohs will guarantee first place with two matches to spare.

Paris Saint-Germain fullback Hakimi helped Morocco become the first African qualifiers at the weekend when they struck five unanswered goals after Niger were reduced to 10 men in Rabat.

The nine group winners in Africa qualify for the World Cup, which will feature a record 48 nations, up from 32 at the last edition in Qatar three years ago.

Salah converted a penalty in a 2-0 win over Ethiopia in Cairo on Friday, with Manchester City striker Omar Marmoush also scoring from the spot to maintain a five-point lead over the Burkinabe.

Burkina Faso crushed 10-man Djibouti 6-0 the same day, with recent Brentford signing Dango Ouattara atoning for a missed penalty by scoring twice, including another spot kick.