Egypt draws 1-1 against Kuwait in friendly

Egypt's Ayman Ashraf equalised nine minutes from fulltime as it drew 1-1 away to Kuwait in the first of three warm-up matches before it head to the World Cup.

Egyptian midfielder Ramadan Sobhi (right) drives the ball during the international friendly against Kuwait.

Egypt's Ayman Ashraf equalised nine minutes from fulltime as it drew 1-1 away to Kuwait on Friday in the first of three warm-up matches before it head to the World Cup in Russia next month.

Fahad Al Ansari scored after six minutes for the Gulf country, but substitute Ashraf squeezed home a square pass from Mahmoud Kahraba for the 81st-minute equaliser.

Egypt was without talisman Mohamed Salah, who played for Liverpool in Saturday's Champions League final against Real Madrid, and now looking doubtful for the World Cup after getting injured in the first half of the match.

The goalkeeper, Sherif Ekramy, making a late bid to be included in its final 23-man World Cup squad, made several good saves to strengthen his chances of going to the tournament.

Egypt play Colombia on June 1 and Belgium on June 6 in its final warm-up games before it heads to the World Cup, where it is in Group A with Uruguay, hosts Russia and Saudi Arabia.