The Confederation of African Football have announced that the 2019 African Cup of Nations will start on 21 June and end on 13 July. The draw will be held at the Giza Pyramids and Sphinx on 12 April. Egypt will host AFCON 2019 after original host Cameroon was stripped of its duties due to delays in its preparations for the expanded 24-team tournament.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) decided early Sunday to delay the launch date of the 2019 African Cup of Nations to start 21 June instead of 14 June, Egyptian Football Association (EFA) Vice President Ahmed Shobir announced. "A number of North African countries asked the CAF to delay the opening of the tournament for one week because of fasting in Ramadan as well as celebrating Eid Al-Fitr," Shobir said on his private television sports programme.

Ahly winter signing Ramadan Sobhi has celebrated his 22nd birthday with a dazzling display as Ahly defeated Maqassa 3-0 in a league game at Alexandria s Borg El-Arab Stadium on Thursday. The winger, who turned 22 on Wednesday, scored a goal and provided another in Thursday s win. Sobhi s goal is his first since joining Ahly from Premier League side Huddersfield on a six-month loan deal in January.

Ahly midfielder Salah Gomaa has returned to the Reds squad for the first time in almost a year after being called up by coach Martin Lasarte Wednesday for Thursday s Egyptian Premier League match against Maqassa. The 25-year-old Gomaa, who joined Ahly in 2015 from Enppi, wasn t officially registered with the Cairo giants since ending his loan spell with Saudi side Al-Faisaly last summer.

Egypt s Football Association (EFA) chairman Hani Abo-Rida has revealed the nominated hosting governorates and stadiums of the upcoming African Cup of Nations, adding that the Pharaohs are strong favorites to win the prestigious title at home next summer. "The stadiums are Port Said Stadium in Port Said, Suez and Military stadiums in Suez, Cairo Stadium in Cairo, El-Salam Stadium in Qalioubiya, Alexandria and Haras-Elhodoud stadiums in Alexandria and Ismailia Stadium in Ismailia," Abo-Rida said in an interview with ON Sport TV channel late on Monday.

Zamalek was in luck on Monday as they received an easy draw to face Algerian Nasr Athletic Hussein Dey, Angolan Atletico Petroleos de Luanda and Kenya s Gor Mahia FC in Group D of the CAF Confederation Cup. The Cairo giants booked their place in Africa s secondary club competition group stage after beating Morocco s Ittihad Tanger 3-1 in the round of 32 on aggregate last week

Ahlys star playmaker Walid Soliman may need to undergo knee surgery after he suffered a cartilage injury, according to club doctor Khaled Mahmoud. "Scans on Sunday revealed that Walid is suffering from an interior knee ligament injury and also a minor cartilage injury," Ahlys doctor Khaled Mahmoud was quoted as saying by the clubs official website.

Top scorer Mohamed Salah could find the oldest player in the Premier League standing in his way when free-flowing leaders Liverpool host Crystal Palace at Anfield on Saturday. The visitors may have to draft in 39-year-old Argentine reserve goalkeeper Julian Speroni, who last appeared for them at the end of 2017, after injuries to those above him in the pecking order.

Ahly players are ready for the next Champions league test against outstanding Algerian side JS Saoura despite fatigue, according to the club s assistant coach Mohamed Youssef. The Cairo giants will be hosted by their Algerian counterparts JS Saoura on Friday in Bechar in the second round of the CAF Champions League group stage.

Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp praised the efforts of his star winger Mohamed Salah after he led the Reds to a precious 1-0 Premier League win at Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday. Liverpool are now seven points clear at the top of the Premier League having bounced back from two successive defeats in all competitions, after Salah s second-half penalty gave them the winning goal. The 26-year-old Pharaohs star s tally is now 14 league goals in 22 appearances so far. “It was a brilliant situation. It makes sense for a striker to go dribbling in the box because it s difficult for the defender to defend it clear,” Klopp was quoted as saying by Liverpool s official website after the match.

Brazil midfielder Fabinho impressed Jurgen Klopp enough in central defence in Saturday s 1-0 win over Brighton to reassure the Liverpool manager he can be a reliable stop-gap partner for Virgil van Dijk. Croatian Dejan Lovren added to the problems in central defence when the World Cup finalist suffered a hamstring injury in the FA Cup defeat by Wolverhampton Wanderers last Monday.

Tottenham Hotspurs Premier League title ambitions suffered a major blow as Marcus Rashfords goal gave Manchester United a 1-0 victory at Wembley on Sunday to maintain caretaker manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaers perfect start. Rashford beat Tottenham keeper Hugo Lloris from a tight angle in the 44th minute as rejuvenated United claimed a sixth win from six matches since former striker Solskjaer stepped in following the sacking of Jose Mourinho.

History is on the side of Premier League leaders Liverpool as they chase a first league title since 1990 but their four-point lead over Manchester City after 21 games is the smallest margin between the top two in over a century. The last 11 teams with the equivalent of 52 or more points at the same stage since 1905-06 went on to lift the title, but the strength of this year s top four means Liverpool on 54 points face an especially daunting task.

Egypt s Mohamed Salah was voted Africa s best player for a second successive year on Tuesday, itching his name among the continent s all-time greats. The Liverpool forward beat off competition from club teammate Sadio Mane of Senegal and Arsenal s Gabonese striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to win the award, having scooped it last year at the expense of the same duo.

Organising a successful edition of the African Cup of Nation in 2006 helped Egypt win the hosting rights of this year s tournament on Tuesday, according Egyptian Football Association (EFA) chairman Hani Abo-Rida. Egypt has been granted the hosting rights of the 2019 African Cup of Nations after winning a majority of votes in Tuesday s meeting of the executive committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) has assigned Serbian officials for the Egyptian Premier League encounter on Friday between Pyramids and Ahly at the 30 June Stadium, the EFA announced on Thursday. Danilo Grujic will lead the Serbian crew of Milovan Ristic, Dalibor Gorgevic and Nenad Djokic. This will be the third time foriegn officials would officiate Pyramids league games this season per the team s request after the club continues to complain of inconsistencies committed by Egyptian officials. Foreign officials had referreed the teams recent games against Arab Contractors and Enppi.

Ahly s returning winger Ramadan Sobhi says he is ready and motivated to start playing immediately with the Cairo giants, insisting that the Reds have a chance at the domestic league and African Champions titles this season. "I am totally fit to play with Ahly as I have been training hard recently," Sobhi said in an interview with Ahly s official website published on Monday evening.

Egypt winger Mohamed Salah has made the final shortlist for the African Player of the Year award, released by the Confederation of African Football on Tuesday. In a repeat of last years final three, Liverpools star winger is competing for the most prestigious individual accolade in African football alongside club-mate Sadio Mane and 2015 winner, Arsenal forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has defended his team s talisman Mohamed Salah over simulation charges. “Do we need blood for a proper penalty? I think no,” Klopp said after his side s match against Arsenal on Saturday. Salah has won penalties in Liverpool s last two Premier League games, against Newcastle and Arsenal.

Mohamed Salah was on target again and Roberto Firmino struck a hat-trick as rampant Liverpool opened up a nine point lead at the top of the Premier League after crushing Arsenal 5-1 at Anfield on Saturday. Arsenal stunned the home crowd by taking the lead in the 11th minute - Ainsley Maitland-Niles scoring his first league goal for the club as he connected at the back post with an Alex Iwobi cross.

Liverpool s talisman Mohamed Salah will be available to the team in the upcoming season-defining games against Arsenal and Manchester City after he was cleared of diving charges in the game against Newcastle. Salah fell to the ground after minimal contact with Newcastle defender Paul Dummett, winning a penalty from which he scored the second in Liverpool s 4-0 victory at Anfield on Wednesday.