Egypt coach Hassan unsure whether Salah will start against Australia in last 32 clash

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/salah-mohamed/08FBycgB/"]Salah[/a] returned to partial training on Wednesday after sustaining the strain in the 1-1 ‌draw with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/iran/xrRx85iA/"]Iran[/a] last Friday, as the Egyptians picked ‌up the point they needed to progress to the knockout rounds for ‌the first time.[/p][p][b]"Salah is a passionate player and he is ‌very much looking forward to making his own contribution," Hassan said.[/b][/p][p][b]"I'm not going to run any risk unless I'm 100% sure he is ‌fit and raring to go tomorrow.[/b][/p][p][b]"We look forward ⁠to him playing tomorrow, but ‌we're not sure if he's going to be in the starting lineup."[/b][/p][embed guid="d495c1bd-be63-4d39-883e-15e158d5438e" url="https://x.com/MoSalah/status/2072196018519810400" social-type="twitter" /][p]Salah ​has scored once at the tournament so far, netting his side's second goal as the Egyptians battled back to ​hand [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/new-zealand/rLctHkpU/"]New Zealand[/a] a 3-1 defeat in the group phase.[/p][p]He asked to be substituted with 33 minutes remaining against the Iranians⁠, and his battle to ​be fit has overshadowed his team's preparations for one of the biggest games in their history.[/p][p][b]"He is one of the best players globally, and I'm very lucky to work with him, and I'm ‌very happy with our work together so far," said Hassan.[/b][/p][p][b]"I have managed to deploy him tactically and technically speaking, and he has surpassed the capabilities that people had expected of him so far."[/b][/p][p]Tony Popovic's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/australia/xSrf6qMM/"]Australia[/a] side are expected to present the Egyptians with a physical challenge but Hassan is confident his team will be well prepared to deal with that test.[/p][p][b]"On the African continent, we have vast experience with tall players, comparable to the Australia ‌side we're going to face tomorrow," he said.[/b][/p][p][b]"It's the same as ​New Zealand, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/belgium/GbB957na/"]Belgium[/a] and Iran. We have dealt so far ‌with such conditions...[/b][/p][p]"Every team has its weaknesses and strengths and we're well prepared to deal with whatever we're going to face.[/p][p][b]"(Diego) Maradona wasn't the tallest of players, ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/messi-lionel/vgOOdZbd/"]Lionel[/a]) Messi isn't either. It's not about tall or short. We're not playing rugby ⁠here, we're playing football. Not ⁠American football, but football ‌and we're fit and raring to go."[/b][/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/australia-xSrf6qMM/egypt-bejDn7NN/?mid=Whg00tL7"]Follow the game with Flashscore.[/a][/p]