Salah to play first world cup match

Egypt are hopeful Mohamed Salah will be available for the start of their World Cup campaign in Russia but the team must find a way to avoid depending too much on the striker, coach Hector Cuper has said.

Liverpool's Salah is recovering from the shoulder ligament injury suffered in last month's Champions League final loss to Real Madrid when he went off early in the game.

'We hope we won't be affected, we try to be the same team, we can't be dependent on one player,' Cuper was quoted as saying by Sky Sports.

Salah, who scored 44 goals in his first season at Liverpool after joining from Roma, was voted Player of the Year by the Football Writers' Association last month, becoming the first African to win the prestigious award