Some hope for AWs is that the Egyptians were very scratchy at AFCON with bizarrely three 2-2 draws in their pool (Mozambique, Ghana & Cape Verde), and then lost their Last 16 tie (sans Salah) to the Congo DR on pens (8-7). Was 1-1 after ET.
The AWs had their own 1-1 draw with Congo DR, last October. From memory some stat like the Congolese had 7 players start both those games. So yeah if that's right, that's a definite positive.
The Pharaohs also have a new coach after their poor AFCON, and the messy Salah club verus country saga will have been a distraction.
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2024/01/28/africa/africa-cup-of-nations/egypt/congo-dr/4273894/
Edit - oh and unless some similarily gifted player pops from nowhere next few years, to me a fit Singh will be a nailed on starter for the AWs, until father time says no more. He's a unique player by NZ football standards, and the attack most often looked toothless when he was absent. Everything good in the 2nd half against Ireland came through Sarpreet. He's so important & special (again by NZ standrads) you can virtually ignore whatever he's doing at club level.
The AWs had their own 1-1 draw with Congo DR, last October. From memory some stat like the Congolese had 7 players start both those games. So yeah if that's right, that's a definite positive.
The Pharaohs also have a new coach after their poor AFCON, and the messy Salah club verus country saga will have been a distraction.
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2024/01/28/africa/africa-cup-of-nations/egypt/congo-dr/4273894/
Edit - oh and unless some similarily gifted player pops from nowhere next few years, to me a fit Singh will be a nailed on starter for the AWs, until father time says no more. He's a unique player by NZ football standards, and the attack most often looked toothless when he was absent. Everything good in the 2nd half against Ireland came through Sarpreet. He's so important & special (again by NZ standrads) you can virtually ignore whatever he's doing at club level.