Egypt faces Ethiopia, Malawi, Guinea in African Cup qualifying

Egypt drew in the African Cup of Nations qualifiers after being placed with Ethiopia, Malawi and Guinea in Group D on Tuesday.

Mohamed Salah will play the match against his Liverpool friend Naby Keita in African Cup qualifying for next year of Nations, after Egypt was drawn in the same group as Guinea on Tuesday.

Senegal faces Benin, Mozambique and Rwanda in Group L, after beating Egypt in this year’s final.

The qualifiers begin in June. In Ivory Coast, the 2023 African Cup will be held next June and July and could imply the continental championship is held in successive years.

The 2021 event has been rescheduled to this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. Senegal raised the trophy in Cameroun in February for their first African title.

Two teams from each of the 12 qualifying groups will qualify after once have played both and away. Host Ivory Coast is participating in the qualifiers, as is now custom in Africa, but its place at the cup next year is ensured, so the other highest-placed team will qualify from that group.

Nigeria will draw Sierra Leone, Guinea-Bissau and Sao Tome or Mauritius in Group A. In Group C Cameroon is with Kenya, Burundi and Namibia.

Kenya and Zimbabwe were being banned from internationals by FIFA because of government interference in their national soccer federations, but currently they were included in the draw.

They would play as long as their suspension is lifted at least two weeks before their first game, the Confederation of African Football said. If not, they will be removed from qualifying.

in Group K Morocco is alongside Zimbabwe, South Africa and Liberia.

Algeria, the 2019 champion, was drawn with Uganda, Niger and Tanzania. In Group E, Four-time winner Ghana draws Madagascar, Angola and Central African Republic.