National pride, and lots of it, is at stake for the Pharoahs in Angola, perhaps a more important issue the chance to become the first nation to win an ACN three-in-a-row.

Their World Cup exit at the hands of their bitterest of bitter rivals Algeria will still smart, whatever happens over the coming month – too much was put at stake by politicians and others and, therefore too much lost – for it to be any other way.

So it hasn’t helped that injury and lack of match fitness has deprived the continent’s historically most successful nation of a number of significant names.

Coach Hassan Shehata had already dropped striker Mohamed Zidan for missing a friendly early in 2009, giving Zidan time to apologise and retake his place in the squad. But fellow strikers Mido and 2008 star Amr Zaki have not been so lucky.

Mido was included. But the battles for match fitness with which Middlesbrough fans became familiar during Mido’s spell there have continued to dog him since his return to play for struggling Cairo giants Zamalek. Mido has been in and out of the squad for months. This month he’s out.

Zaki, who briefly threatened to set the Premier League alight early in his spell at Wigan, has succumbed to injury, as has “talismanic midfielder” (copyright the Guardian) Mohammed Aboutrika.

The side struggled to a 1-1 draw last week with tournament outsiders Malawi. And Shehata is under pressure from fans unhappy with Egypt’s poor scoring record and his squad selection for Angola, memories of their Confederations Cup win over Italy in the summer more distant than ever.

Shehata can point out that fans were similarly disaffected before 2008. But two years ago, Egypt hadn’t just lost to Algeria in a World Cup play-off before their part in the African Nations Cup.