Algeria and Egypt will battle for three points in Group D of the 2021 FIFA Arab Cup on Tuesday.
Both sides are squaring off for outright top spot in the group, having each garnered maximum points from two matches and have the same goal difference. A victory for either team would take them top of the group and a quarterfinal clash with second in Group C.
Egypt come into the clash on the back of a convincing 5-0 victory over Sudan. Five different men got on the scoresheet for the Pharoahs.
Algeria secured maximum points with a routine 2-0 victory over Lebanon. Yacine Brahimi and Tayeb Meziani scored second-half goals to guide the African champions to the win.
Algeria vs Egypt Head-to-Head
This will be the 24th meeting between the two sides and Algeria have a superior record in previous matches played.
The Desert Foxes have 10 wins to their name while six matches ended in a share of the spoils. Egypt were victorious on seven occasions.
This will be their first meeting since their semifinal clash at the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations when Egypt ran riot in a 4-0 victory en-route to their three-peat.
Algeria form guide: W-W-D-W-W
Egypt form guide: W-W-W-D-W
Algeria vs Egypt Team News
Algeria
Mehdi Abeid withdrew from Algeria's 23-man squad due to injury. He was replaced in the squad by Yacine Titraoui. Houssem Mrezique has been suspended due to a double booking he received against Lebanon.
Injury: Mehdi Abeid
Suspension: Houssem Mrezique
Egypt
Zamalek midfielder Emam Ashour withdrew from the squad after testing positive for COVID-19. He was replaced by Ahmed Hegazi.
Injuries: None
COVID-19: Emam Ashour
Suspension: None
Algeria vs Egypt Predicted XI
Algeria Predicted XI (4-5-1): Moustapha Zeghba (GK); Ilyes Chetti, Mohamed Tougai, Mehdi Jean-Tahrat, Houcine Benayada; Yacine Brahimi, Sofiane Bendebka, Youcef Belaili, El Arbi Soudani, Zakaria Draoui; Baghdad Bounedjah
Egypt Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Mohamed El Shenawy (GK); Ahmed Fathy, Ayman Ashraf, El Wensh, Omar Kamal; Amr El Soulia, Ahmed Hegazy; Ahmed Refaat, Ahmed Sayed, Hussein Faisal; Marwan Hamdy
Algeria vs Egypt Prediction
Both sides have already secured qualification to the knockout round and are unlikely to go all out in search of a win to avoid leaving space behind to be exploited.
On current form, they are also almost evenly matched and we could be set to witness a highly tactical game. Although one side could secure a narrow win, we are backing both teams to cancel each other out in a low-scoring draw.
Prediction: Algeria 1-1 Egypt