Egypt coach Hossam Hassan explained why he decided to substitute Emam Ashour just over half an hour into the 2–1 win over Zimbabwe in Egypt’s Africa Cup of Nations opener in Morocco.
Hassan stressed that Ashour was not suffering from any physical problem and that the decision was purely tactical. “Emam Ashour did not complain of any injury, and the substitution was 100% technical. The player is coming back from a long-term injury, and I felt the pressure would increase on him with us trailing, so I preferred to take him off to protect him.”
He added that he still has full faith in the midfielder’s qualities and had counted on him in the playmaker role. Hassan said Ashour is hardworking, but keeping him on in those circumstances could have exposed him to heavy psychological pressure, so the change was in the best interests of both the player and the team.
The coach emphasized that he did not hesitate over the decision because he knew exactly what he wanted from the match and saw the switch as a positive move.
With the victory, Egypt went top of Group B with 3 points, level with South Africa, who beat Angola by the same scoreline, ahead of a highly anticipated clash between Egypt and South Africa on Friday.
