Egypt winger Mohamed Salah fired his warning to Ghana when he scored his maiden league hat-trick in the Italian top-flight on Sunday, scoring all the goals in Roma's 3-0 win over Bologna.
The multi-talented ace demonstrated his top form just a day before he joins the Pharaohs camp ahead of Sunday's World Cup qualifier against Ghana.
Salah, who is expected to be the key player for Egypt when they take on Ghana in Alexandria on Sunday claimed his maiden league hat-trick as Roma reclaimed the second spot in Serie A.
The winger's form will provide some headache for Ghana coach Avram Grant ahead of the Group E match which is key to the Black Stars qualification chances.
Salah, whose only previous hat-trick came for Egypt in a World Cup qualifier against Zimbabwe in 2013, stole the show as Roma strode confidently back up to second at four points behind Juventus and one ahead of AC Milan ahead of the international break.
Salah’s 13th minute strike inside the box took a deflection on the goalline before it wrong-footed Bologna ‘keeper Angelo Da Costa.
But league officials credited him with the goal, and the former Chelsea midfielder went on to hit a second-half brace as Luciano Spalletti’s men maintained their title challenge to a Juventus side that, earlier, laboured to a 2-1 win at Chievo.
It took Salah until the hour mark to hit his second, but he made no mistake running on to Kevin Strootman’s precision ball to beat Da Costa at his far post.
Barely ten minutes later, Salah was on hand to fire past Da Costa again after the ‘keeper spilled a Dzeko drive.
Salah could have added a fourth in the final minutes, but sent a first-time effort over the crossbar from Radja Nainggolan’s drive across goal.
Salah exited to a standing ovation six minutes from the end when he was replaced by Stephan El Shaarawy, who is half-Egyptian.
Ghana, three-time participants in the FIFA World Cup, will be chasing their first win in Group E of the qualifiers after drawing against Uganda at home last month.
Egypt lead the group with three points, two more than second-placed Ghana and Uganda.