In their quest to continue the journey towards claiming the African Princess title, Egypt’s national football team, led by Portuguese coach Vitoria, faces a challenging encounter against the Democratic Republic of the Congo tonight at 10 p.m.
The match is part of the Round of 16 in the African Cup of Nations, taking place in Ivory Coast.
The Pharaohs aim to secure victory tonight, surmounting the challenge posed by the Congolese team to advance to the quarter-finals, where they would face the winner between Equatorial Guinea and Guinea, as per the outcomes of the elimination round draw.
Egypt has progressed to the next stage with three points, achieved through one win.
In the days leading up to the crucial match, Vitoria has been diligently addressing the persistent defensive issues, aiming to avoid the repetition of costly mistakes.
The consequences of failure would include an early exit from the African football marathon and a continued absence from the championship podium since the last victory in 2010.
Tonight’s match will witness the absence of three key players for the Pharaohs: Mohamed Salah, Mohamed El-Shenawy, and Imam Ashour, who sustained a concussion.
Vitoria has decided to field Mohamed El-Neny, the midfielder from Arsenal, alongside Marwan Atia and Hamdi Fathi in the midfield, compensating for the absence of Al-Ahly’s star, Imam Ashour.
Vitoria has finalized the lineup for tonight’s match, with four changes from the last game against Cape Verde.
Mohamed Abu Jabal will start as the goalkeeper instead of the injured Mohamed El-Shenawy.
Mohamed Hamdi will replace Ahmed Fathi as the left-back, and Mohamed El-Neny will join the midfield, taking Imam Ashour’s place.
Zizo will play as the right-winger.
Expected Egypt Lineup:
– Goalkeeper: Mohamed Abu Jabal
– Defense: Mohamed Hamdi, Ahmed Hegazi, Mohamed Abdel-Monem, Mohamed Hani
– Midfield: Marwan Atia, Hamdi Fathi, Mohamed El-Neny
– Forward: Zizo, Mostafa Mohamed, Omar Marmoush
Vitoria warned the Egyptian players not to underestimate Congo, despite their three consecutive draws in the group stage against Zambia, Morocco, and Tanzania.
The Portuguese coach emphasized the distinct nature of the Round of 16 matches, stating that they significantly differ from group stage encounters.
He stressed the importance of focus, as there is no room for compensation in knockout stages; any misstep means a final farewell to the championship.
Egypt and the Democratic Republic of the Congo have faced each other in 12 previous encounters, including 8 official matches and 4 friendlies.
Egypt emerged victorious in 8 matches, suffered a single defeat, and settled for a draw in 3 matches.
Tonight’s clash holds a pivotal place in Egypt’s AFCON journey, and the Pharaohs are determined to secure a win and progress to the quarter-finals.
