Why did Egypt coach refuse to take risks unless Salah is 100% fit?

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Egypt coach Hossam Hassan said he would not take risks with Mohamed Salah unless he was 100% fit for the World Cup match against Australia
Hassan refused to take risks with Mohamed Salah because Salah is recovering from a hamstring problem and only managed a lighter training session. Salah was forced off in the 57th minute of Egypt’s final group game, a 1-1 draw with Iran, and used an ice pack on his left thigh, leaving his participation in doubt. With the last-32 showdown against Australia in Texas the next day, Hassan said he would not run any risk unless Salah was fit and “raring to go” for the match.
Salah’s hamstring issue left his availability uncertain
Salah’s hamstring problem is the key reason for the caution. After being taken off in the 57th minute against Iran, he continued to manage the injury during the lead-up, including using an ice pack under his left thigh. Even though he trained with the squad in Dallas, it was described as a lighter session rather than full participation.
The coach linked his decision to the need for certainty before a high-stakes knockout game
Hassan framed his position around certainty, saying he would not “run any risk” unless he was 100 percent sure Salah was fit. He also indicated he was “not so sure” Salah would be in the starting line-up, which reflects the uncertainty created by the injury status. In professional football, coaches typically manage hamstring injuries with strict care because returning too early can worsen the injury and reduce a player’s effectiveness during a match where intensity is high.
Training was partial, so Hassan treated Salah as not fully ready
Hassan said Egypt introduced Salah to partial training on the day before the match. That detail matters because partial training suggests the player had not reached full match readiness. By keeping the approach conservative, the coach aimed to avoid committing Salah to a full role if he was not prepared to perform at the required level.
Egypt’s match context made the timing of readiness important
The match is Egypt’s World Cup last-32 showdown against Australia tomorrow in Texas, and it is a knockout game rather than a group fixture. Hassan also said Egypt were wary of Australia’s height and pace, including in set-pieces, which raises the importance of having fully available players. In that setting, the coach’s standard of being “100 percent sure” before taking risks aligns with common injury-management practice in elite tournaments, where hamstring fitness directly affects sprinting and repeated high-intensity efforts.

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Why did Egypt coach refuse to take risks unless Salah is 100% fit?

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