Egyptian defender Ramy Rabia has vowed that his side will not be playing for a draw when they face Mauritania in their upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier. Despite needing just one point to secure their place at the 2025 tournament, Rabia insists Egypt will aim for victory to bring joy to their passionate supporters.
In their last match, Egypt secured a 2-0 win over Mauritania, marking their third consecutive triumph in the AFCON qualifiers.
This victory has left Egypt with nine points and positioned them on the verge of qualification, with three games still to play.
One more point would guarantee Egypt’s place in the tournament, but Rabia is adamant that the team will not let their foot off the gas.
Speaking to beIN Sports, Rabia highlighted the importance of maintaining a winning mentality: “Our aim was to bring joy to the fans and secure the win early.
Recently, fans have become used to us taking the lead in the first half.
Mauritania is a strong, well-organized team that closed the spaces effectively, making it a difficult match.”
Rabia went on to praise Mauritania’s defensive structure, emphasizing the competitive nature of modern football.
“There are no weak teams,” he noted. “All players are professionals, and we must respect every opponent.
Mauritania is physically strong and organized, and we tried multiple ways to break through their defense.”
Reflecting on Egypt’s performance and tactical approach, Rabia explained that patience was key to their success.
“At halftime, we talked about staying calm and waiting patiently for the goal to come.
We won’t approach it with the mindset that we only need a point to qualify, we’ll play to win,” he said.
The defender stressed the significance of each match for Egypt, particularly with AFCON qualification at stake.
“Every match is like a tournament for us, and with one game left to secure qualification, we must win because we represent Egypt,” Rabia added.
With Egypt preparing for the return leg against Mauritania on Tuesday, October 15, the pressure will be on to deliver another strong performance.
The match, set to kick off at 7 PM Cairo time, offers Egypt the chance to solidify their place at AFCON 2025 and continue their winning streak.
Mauritania, who struggled to contain Egypt in the first leg, will undoubtedly be looking for a stronger showing.
However, Rabia’s comments suggest that the Egyptian squad is fully focused on securing another victory and not merely coasting through to qualification.
