Egyptian coach Hassan Shehata says the absence of captain Ahmed Hassan will be felt by the defending champions at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi.
The Pharoahs begin their title defence against Cameroon today and Shehata believes Hassan void could be a chink in their Nations Cup armour.
“Hassan is irreplaceable. He is our captain, we are going to miss him in our opening game,” Shehata told the Ghanaian Chronicle.
The Anderlecht midfielder, who won his 131st cap for Egypt in their last warm-up international against Angola on January 13, is suspended for tomorrow’s match because of a red card picked up in the qualifiers.
“What makes him so good is he can play any position; defender, midfielder, attack, left or right,” Shehata added.
Hassan competes in a record-equalling seventh Nations Cup tournament this year. He is likely to feature in Egypt's second Group C match against Sudan on Saturday.
Egypt return to the competition with the bulk of the team that won on home soil two years ago but there is concern over the quality of their defence and a hole in attack with injured Middlesbrough striker Mido missing the tournament.
Egypt were given a scare after their No1 goalkeeper Essam El Hadary twisted his ankle in training earlier this week. Emad Met’eb is also in doubt for the game after complaining from neck pain, but is likely to feature in the game, while Amr Zaki who recovered from a minor head concussion suffered in the Mali friendly is also available.
Pitted against them is a Cameroon team likely to be fuelled by Samuel Eto’o’s quest to break the tournament’s goal-scoring record.
The Barcelona striker is three goals shy of the 38-year-old mark of 14 held by Laurent Pokou of the Ivory Coast.
With the memories of the World Cup 2006 qualifiers defeat from Egypt, which cost Cameroon a place in the finals, still fresh in the minds of the Lions, they’ll be looking forward to this encounter to try and take back a piece of their pride.
They’ll also look to kick off the group stages in the tournament with a win to send a message to all teams that Cameroon are on their way for a record matching fifth title, with only Egypt having won that many times so far.
Cameroon and Egypt renew a rivalry that last played out in a 2006 World Cup qualifier when a draw in Yaounde cost the Indomitable Lions a place at the finals in Germany.
“We have a genuinely good chance of winning the tournament,” said Cameroon coach Otto Pfister who is yet to take charge of the side in a full international since taking over in November.
“On his day, I’d even say Eto’o is the best striker in the world,” added Pfister.
The striker could benefit from a makeshift Egypt defence that has been forced to recall Ibahim Said even though he has been without club action for six months and played just one international since the Pharaohs won the title two years ago.
Sudan and Zambia play in the other Group C match at the refurbished stadium in Ghana's second city on Tuesday.
It is Sudan's first appearance at the finals in 32 years and, despite an impressive qualifying campaign, they are given little chance in the tournament.
Zambia coach Patrick Phiri said his side had a comprehensive build-up to the tournament, with warm-up matches in Spain, Tunisia and Morocco.
“We are the best prepared we have ever been for a tournament," he told South Africa soccer scribe Mark Gleeson.
But Zambia have key striker Chris Katongo and midfielder Isaac Chansa suspended for the opening game.
Zambia has finally been able to concentrate on the opening match against after being reunited with their lost luggage.
Nine bags containing jerseys, boots, shin guards and personal items failed to survive the journey from Zambia last week, the kit eventually turning up days later.
The Chipolopolo Boys are out to make a deeper impression on the competition than in their last four appearances which have ended in first round exits.
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