In the lead-up to the highly anticipated clash between Egypt and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) in the Africa Cup of Nations 2023 Round of 16, DR Congo’s Samuel Motusami has acknowledged the well-rounded capabilities of Egyptian striker Mustafa Mohamed.
Motusami, a player for DR Congo, spoke at the pre-match press conference held on Saturday, expressing the team’s complete focus on the forthcoming encounter against Egypt.
He stated, “We are fully concentrated on the match, knowing that we will play against a team that has clinched the title several times.”
“We are aware that we haven’t defeated Egypt for a long time, but we will not dwell on the past.
We will only look at the next match, and that is all that matters. What happens on the field will decide everything,” added Motusami.
He dismissed any fear or concern regarding the absence of Egypt’s goalkeeper, asserting, “Scoring goals is difficult in any case, and in the end, the second goalkeeper is good and certainly has his strengths.”
Motusami emphasized DR Congo’s intention to impose their style of play against their opponents and execute their game plan regardless of Egypt’s absences.
Having played alongside Mustafa Mohamed at Nantes in France, Motusami stated, “I know Mustafa Mohamed well because I played with him.
He trains seriously, possesses the qualities a striker should have, scores with both feet, and has the necessary strength.
I certainly do not wish him success tomorrow, and I will give advice to the defenders on how to deal with him effectively.”
Motusami, a 27-year-old midfielder, has participated in three matches for DR Congo in the current Africa Cup of Nations, notching any goals or assists thus far.
On the other hand, Mustafa Mohamed, who contributed three goals to Egypt’s journey to the Round of 16, is set to face DR Congo tomorrow.
The national team secured a spot in the Round of 16 by finishing as the runner-up in Group 2 with 3 points, while DR Congo achieved the same feat in Group 6.
The Egypt-DR Congo match is scheduled for tomorrow, Sunday, at the Laurent Pokou Stadium in San Pedro.
The Africa Cup of Nations 2023 is taking place in Ivory Coast, featuring the participation of 24 national teams from January 13 to February 11, 2024.
