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Soccer News of Saturday, 12 November 2016

Source: goal.com

Badu plays down Salah’s threat ahead of Egypt clash

Emmanuel Agyemang Badu, Black Stars midfielder Emmanuel Agyemang Badu, Black Stars midfielder

Ahead of their 2018 Fifa World Cup qualifier on Sunday, Ghana midfielder Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu wants the Black Stars to focus on Egypt as a team and not just on danger man Mohammed Salah.

Avram Grant's charges are set to play as guests to the Pharaohs at the Borg El Arab Stadium in Alexandria on matchday two of the group phase.

Expectedly, the talking point ahead of the game has largely centred around the threat of Roma winger Salah, who netted a hat-trick for the Wolves in a 3-0 win over Bologna in the Italian Serie A last weekend.

“Everyone is saying Salah, Salah Salah, but I don’t think he is the only player for Egypt. They also have other players,” Badu was quoted as saying by Kingfut.

“He is a good player but we equally have good defenders who can match up with him.

“We all play in Italy and most of our players know him.

“I don’t think [he] will be a threat to us because we will also be going out with the aim to win as well.

"We just have to stay focused and take our chances on the day.”

In the qualifiers for the 2014 World Cup, Ghana handed Egypt a 7-3 aggregate defeat in the playoff, thanks to a 6-1 win in the first leg in Kumasi.

“I know they are eager to win because we defeated them the last time we met in the qualifiers, but that is past," Badu said.

“They are really talking but the game will be played on the pitch, we are calm and we are going out there to play our normal game.

“We are not under any pressure, we are focused and we go all out.

"I am really confident we can defeat them, in football anything is possible."

Ghana were held to a scoreless draw by Uganda on matchday one, while Egypt won 2-1 away in Congo.