Ahmed El-Sheikh marked his debut with a goal and Mahmoud Kahraba and Mohamed Elneny were also on target as Egypt strolled to a 3-0 friendly win over Togo on Tuesday in their first match since finishing as runners-up at the African Nations Cup last month.

Just hours after a controversial four-match ban for star attacker Leo Messi, Argentina have lost 2-0 against Bolivia in La Paz. Were they missing the Barcelona star, or simply struggling with the altitude?Juan Carlos Arce and Marcelo Martins Moreno netted for the home team either side of half time on Tuesday, securing Bolivia a big scalp in their World Cup qualification campaign.

Defending champions Ahly will be facing their first real test in their bid to retain their Egyptian league title when they face leaders Ismaily at Alexandria s Borg El-Arab Stadium on Monday. In a rescheduled game from the fourth week due to Ahly s Champions League commitment, the Reds will be looking for their fourth league win in a row when they visit their bitter-foes - who are unbeaten in eight games.

Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp has hailed the maturity of Egyptian winger Mohamed Salah, saying that he is "a man now” compared to his previous Premier league spell at Chelsea, when he was “a kid.” Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, Klopp dismissed the idea that Salah was thinking of revenge upon his return to England s top flight league.

Juventus fell to a surprise 3-2 defeat at Sampdoria, which maintained its perfect home record in Serie A on Sunday. Duvan Zapata, Lucas Torreira and Gian Marco Ferrari put Sampdoria 3-0 up in the second half before Juventus threatened an astonishing stoppage-time comeback with a penalty from Gonzalo Higuain and a strike from Paulo Dybala.

Amr Fahmy was appointed as the new general secretary of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), keeping up a family tradition that stretches across three generations. The 34-year-old Egyptian replaces Hicham El Amrani of Morocco, who resigned just weeks after long-standing president Issa Hayatou of Cameroon was ousted in a surprise election defeat to Ahmad of Madagascar in March.

Former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba will retire from the sport following the conclusion of the next United Soccer League (USL) season in November 2018. The Ivorian won four Premier League titles among 14 trophies in a Chelsea career spanning more than 380 appearances, and the 39-year-old is currently playing for Phoenix Rising in the second tier of United States professional soccer.

Esperance de Tunis striker Taha Yassine khenissi has denied reports linking him with a possible switch to Egyptian giants Ahly, saying he is not considering such a move. Reports suggested that Ahly are interested in the Tunisian international striker, who scored twice in Esperance s two-legged duel with the Red Devils in the African Champions League quarters, although Esperance eventually bowed out.

Nigeria s football federation (NFF) has signed an agreement with its players which it says will avoid the bonus and pay rows that have blighted the team s past World Cup campaigns. In a statement, the NFF described it as an "historic and binding agreement that will eliminate all manner of rancour and distractions around Nigeria s preparation and participation" at the World Cup in Russia next year. Nigeria, who have qualified for their sixth World Cup, have reached the round of sixteen three times and been eliminated in the group stage twice.

Egypt will kick off their World Cup preparations in December after the tournament s draw is made, Egyptian Football Association (EFA) president Hani Abou-Reida said on Tuesday. Egypt secured a World Cup berth for the first time since 1990 after topping qualifying Group E with 13 points, finishing ahead of Uganda on nine.

Liverpool and Senegal forward Sadio Mane has returned to the Premier League club earlier than scheduled after tweaking his hamstring on international duty, the Senegal Football Federation has said. The 25-year-old made crucial contributions for Senegal as they sealed a berth in the 2018 World Cup finals with a 2-0 win over South Africa on Friday.

Cairo Stadium has been confirmed to host the Egyptian national team for upcoming friendly games ahead of the 2018 World Cup, as well as for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Niger in March. "All of the Pharaohs preoperational games ahead of the World Cup have been scheduled to be held in Cairo Stadium, while the Niger match is also confirmed to be held there," stadium president Ali Darwish revealed on Tuesday for an Egyptian radio station.

Egypt s Competitions Committee are deciding between three countries -- Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan -- before selecting one to host the Egypt Super Cup game between Premier League champions Ahly and Egypt Cup runners-up Masry.

Liverpool and Senegal forward Sadio Mane has returned to the Premier League club earlier than scheduled after tweaking his hamstring on international duty, the Senegal Football Federation has said. The 25-year-old made crucial contributions for Senegal as they sealed a berth in the 2018 World Cup finals with a 2-0 win over South Africa on Friday.

Forgotten winger Mahmoud Shikabala netted a superb goal on his return to Egypt s fold after a three-year absence as the already-qualified side drew 1-1 away to Ghana in their final World Cup qualifier on Sunday. The Zamalek-bound man, who is on loan at Saudi Arabia s Al-Raed, made his first appearance since featuring in an African Nations Cup qualifier against Tunisia in September 2014, scoring his first competitive goal with Egypt following a neat move he started as they ended their campaign on top of Group E with 13 points.

Morocco manager Herve Renard said on Sunday he hopes his side would be paired with France at next year s World Cup, saying he does not fear any opponents. The Frenchman led Morocco to a World Cup place for the first time since 1998 after they secured an impressive 2-0 victory over Ivory Coast in Abidjan on Saturday.

Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero has said he could leave the club when his contract ends in 2019 to play for his boyhood team Independiente in Argentina. The Argentina international arrived at City in 2011 from La Liga side Atletico Madrid, having started his professional career with the Buenos Aires-based club at the age of 15.

With fireworks and flags, thousands of Egyptians celebrated in Tahrir Square in Cairo following the qualification of their national football team for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia—the first time in 28 years—after a 2-1 victory over Congo. On Monday, President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi met the team in Al-Ittihadiya palace and congratulated them and all Egyptians for the qualification. Al-Sisi also decided to grant EGP 1.5 million for each player on the team.

It might be because he lives there or perhaps because he has friends in their team, but Barcelona s Argentine forward Lionel Messi has identified Spain as the one country he hopes to avoid in the group stages of the World Cup finals next year. "I wouldn t like to be drawn against Spain, who are one of the rivals we could get in the draw," Messi told Argentine broadcaster TyC on Wednesday. "For all that they stand for, for all that they have, I d rather avoid them."

Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane will be fit to face the team s north London rivals Arsenal in the Premier League on Nov. 18, manager Mauricio Pochettino said on Wednesday. Kane suffered an injury and was eventually substituted after the interval in Spurs 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace last weekend.

Egypt s football icon Hossam Hassan has been invited by FIFA to attend the final draw for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, the former Ahly and Zamalek star revealed on social media late on Monday. "Dear Mr. Hassan, it is my great pleasure to invite you to attend the final draw for the 2018 FIFA Wolrd Cup to be held on Friday, 1 December 2017, in the concert hall of Moscow s state Kremlin Place," reads an invitation letter signed by FIFA s president Gianni Infantino.