FIFA has delivered a significant blow to the Egyptian national team just 48 hours before their crucial encounter with Ghana in the second round of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire.
The Pharaohs are seeking their first victory after a disappointing draw against Mozambique with a 2-2 scoreline.
The blow to Egypt from FIFA came in the form of a loss of 9.98 points from its world rankings for national teams, a monthly ranking issued by the international governing body.
Egypt’s current ranking stands at 1509.92 points, reflecting the impact of their recent performance.
The decline in Egypt’s ranking by nearly 10 points is attributed to the perceived difference in strength between Egypt and their competitor Mozambique.
The latter seized the opportunity and managed to secure a crucial point against the Pharaohs.
It’s noteworthy that a victory would have earned Egypt 7.52 points, while a defeat would have cost them 27.48 points.
Egypt is set to face Ghana at 10:00 PM next Thursday in the context of the second round of Group B matches in the Africa Cup of Nations.
Both teams are striving for their first win in the tournament, with Ghana having suffered a 2-1 defeat against Cape Verde, and Egypt drawing 2-2 against Mozambique.
The loss of ranking points adds an extra layer of pressure on the Egyptian team as they aim to regain their footing in the competition.
The clash with Ghana takes on increased significance as both teams are eager to secure a crucial victory on the path to the knockout stages of the Africa Cup of Nations.
