Egypt Prepares for CAN 2017 Qualifiers with Friendlies Against Burundi and Malawi
The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) has finalized the national team’s preparation schedule ahead of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) qualifiers. According to Ahram Online, two friendly matches are set to be played:
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May 8: Egypt vs. Malawi
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May 12: Egypt vs. Burundi
These matches will help coach Héctor Cúper assess his squad before their opening qualifier against Tanzania on June 14.
Interestingly, Cúper reportedly rejected friendly offers from Sierra Leone, Djibouti, Austria, Uzbekistan, and Syria, though the EFA says discussions are ongoing for possible matchups in July.
Egypt faces a challenging group in the qualifiers, drawn alongside:
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Nigeria
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Tanzania
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Chad
The Pharaohs will be looking to make a strong return to continental dominance, having missed the last three editions of the Africa Cup of Nations.
