Emam Ashour has been a key player for Egypt in the AFCON this month, participating in all three group stage matches. However, he has been ruled out of the last-16 clash with DR Congo due to a strange injury. The 25-year-old suffered a concussion during training after landing on his head while performing a backflip. As a result, he will not be able to play on Sunday.
Ashour, who plays for Egyptian side Al-Ahly, scored a goal in practice on Wednesday before celebrating in an exuberant manner. He was attended to by the team doctor, Mohamed Abou El-Ela, and then taken to the hospital for medical examinations. After the checks, he was advised to remain under observation for 24 hours.
This injury is another setback for Egypt, as they have already lost their captain Mohamed Salah and goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shenawy for the remainder of the tournament. Despite these challenges, Egypt managed to finish second in their group with all three of their fixtures ending in 2-2 draws against Mozambique, Ghana, and Cape Verde.
In contrast, DR Congo also faced a series of draws in their group stage matches, including a 1-1 draw with Zambia, a 1-1 draw with Morocco, and a 0-0 draw with Tanzania. Both teams will meet in the last-16 clash, with Egypt hoping to overcome their injury setbacks and continue their quest for their first AFCON title since 2010.
