Egypt's National Soccer Team Coach Positive For COVID-19

FILE: Egypt's team pose for a group photo prior to during the group A match between Saudi Arabia and Egypt at the 2018 soccer World Cup at the Volgograd Arena in Volgograd, Russia, Monday, June 25, 2018. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
FILE: Egypt's team pose for a group photo prior to during the group A match between Saudi Arabia and Egypt at the 2018 soccer World Cup at the Volgograd Arena in Volgograd, Russia, Monday, June 25, 2018. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
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Egypt's National Soccer Team Coach Positive For COVID-19

FILE: Egypt's team pose for a group photo prior to during the group A match between Saudi Arabia and Egypt at the 2018 soccer World Cup at the Volgograd Arena in Volgograd, Russia, Monday, June 25, 2018. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
FILE: Egypt's team pose for a group photo prior to during the group A match between Saudi Arabia and Egypt at the 2018 soccer World Cup at the Volgograd Arena in Volgograd, Russia, Monday, June 25, 2018. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

Egypt’s national team coach has tested positive for the coronavirus, the country's soccer association announced Saturday.

Hossam el-Badry was diagnosed with COVID-19 after his daughter tested positive earlier this month, the Egyptian Football Association said in a statement. He has been isolated at his home, it said.

Egypt secured a spot last month in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations and is hoping to reach the 2022 World Cup finals in Qatar. The record seven-time African champions would play in Group F along with Gabon, Angola and Libya.

The 61-year-old el-Badry, who was appointed to lead Egypt’s national team in 2019, is the latest player or coach on the national team to test positive for the virus, The Associated Press reported.

Mohamed Elshenawy, goalkeeper of the national team and Cairo’s Al-Ahly soccer club, tested positive earlier this month and missed a game against archrival Zamalek in the local league.

In November, Liverpool striker Mohamed Salah tested positive after he traveled to Cairo to play in Egypt’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Togo.

At the time, Salah attended his brother’s wedding and was seen — sometimes without a face mask — dancing among dozens of people.

In recent weeks, Egypt has seen a “slight but continual” spike in confirmed coronavirus cases.

Health Minister Hala Zayed said Saturday that authorities have registered a weekly increase of up to 10% in some areas amid a third wave of the pandemic. She did not provide specific numbers.

Egypt, the Arab world’s most populous country with over 100 million people, has reported at least 221,570 confirmed cases, including some 13,000 deaths. However, the actual numbers of COVID-19 cases, like elsewhere in the world, are thought to be far higher, in part due to limited testing.



Newcastle Face Chelsea in Top Five Showdown, Alexander-Arnold in Spotlight

Newcastle's Alexander Isak will be key to their bid to beat Chelsea. ANDY BUCHANAN / AFP
Newcastle's Alexander Isak will be key to their bid to beat Chelsea. ANDY BUCHANAN / AFP
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Newcastle Face Chelsea in Top Five Showdown, Alexander-Arnold in Spotlight

Newcastle's Alexander Isak will be key to their bid to beat Chelsea. ANDY BUCHANAN / AFP
Newcastle's Alexander Isak will be key to their bid to beat Chelsea. ANDY BUCHANAN / AFP

Newcastle and Chelsea meet in a crucial clash in the race to qualify for the Champions League on Sunday.

Trent Alexander-Arnold's reception from Liverpool fans will be closely watched after his decision to quit the Premier League champions.

AFP Sport looks at three talking points ahead of the weekend's action:

Newcastle aims to seize top five chance

Newcastle, sitting fourth, face fifth-placed Chelsea at St James' Park in a match with huge ramifications in the fight for top five places.

Eddie Howe's team are above Chelsea on goals scored and victory on Sunday would be a massive boost in their bid to reach the Champions League for a second time in three seasons.

With two matches left for both teams after this weekend, Newcastle will be within touching distance of qualification if they win, while Chelsea would be left hoping that sixth-placed Nottingham Forest, currently two points behind the Blues, slip up against lowly Leicester.

After the Chelsea showdown, Newcastle travel to second-placed Arsenal and host Everton in their final two games.

"I've said many times, I think that's all you can ask for: that it's in your hands and you're not reliant on other teams and looking elsewhere," Howe said.

"We know what we need to do. We've got three really tough games. They're not going to be easy, but they're games to relish and enjoy."

Alexander-Arnold in Anfield spotlight

Trent Alexander-Arnold could face a mixed reception from Liverpool fans if he features in Sunday's game against Arsenal at Anfield.

It will be the champions' first match since Alexander-Arnold confirmed on Monday that he plans to leave Liverpool when his contract expires in June.

The England right-back had been widely expected to announce his exit after months of speculation over a likely move to Real Madrid.

As a Liverpool-born graduate of the club's youth academy, Alexander-Arnold had been a firm favorite of Reds supporters, who often chanted "the Scouser in our team" about him.

Alexander-Arnold said opting to leave Liverpool was "easily the hardest decision" he had made in his life.

But former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher believes the move will change how Alexander-Arnold is seen in the eye of the fanbase, with the potential for jeers if he plays in any of the club's three remaining matches this season.

"Players are loved even more when they genuinely mean it when they say they do not want to play for anyone else," Carragher said.

"If that image of the home-grown talent living the dream is an illusion, people feel let down.

"The unconditional support Alexander-Arnold enjoyed from the Kop when he was fully committed to Liverpool has gone."

Saints must go down with 'dignity’

Southampton interim manager Simon Rusk has urged his relegated side to end the season with as much "dignity" as they can muster.

Bottom of the table Southampton have just 11 points and still need one more from their last three matches to avoid matching the worst ever Premier League total, set by Derby in 2007-08.

That could be tricky for Rusk's team, with Manchester City visiting St Mary's on Saturday as they chase a place in the Champions League.

After that, Southampton face Everton in the last competitive fixture at Goodison Park before hosting second-placed Arsenal.

Even if Saints, beaten at second-bottom Leicester last weekend, are unable to avoid an unwanted share of the ignominious record low points total, Rusk wants them to go down with pride.

"It's important we don't move in to fear territory in these games and instead we put our best foot forward," he said.

"We want to finish the season on a high and build momentum. It's a chance to end the season with as much dignity as possible."