The Ahli Dubai midfielder sustained an ankle injury in a UAE league game earlier this week to raise doubts over his ability to play in the crunch meeting.

"His condition will be assessed on Saturday," Egypt assistant coach Hamada Sedki said after the team's thrashing 5-1 victory over Tanzania in a friendly game on Thursday.

Abd-Rabou, who was voted the best player in Egypt's triumphant African Cup of Nations campaign in 2008, is an influential member of the team's roster.

He scored the winner in the Pharaohs' 1-0 victory at Zambia which kept alive their hopes of reaching the World Cup for the first time since 1990.

Egypt need to beat Algeria by a three-goal margin at Cairo Stadium to qualify directly for the football's most prestigious event.

A win by a two-goal margin will set up a playoff meeting with the Desert Foxes on a neutral venue.