Former Zamalek star Khaled El-Ghandour attributed Egypt’s draw against Mozambique in the Africa Cup of Nations to the high humidity, shedding light on the challenges faced by the team in the tournament.
Speaking in a telephone interview with host Amir Hisham on his show “+90” aired on Al-Nahar channel, El-Ghandour highlighted Mustafa Mohamed’s standout performance in the match, reaffirming the impact of humidity on the game.
“The humidity affects strong teams and those with players playing abroad, similar to its impact on Nigeria and Ghana in their opening matches,” noted El-Ghandour.
Drawing comparisons between Marwan Attia and Mohamed El Neny in the starting lineup, El-Ghandour, despite acknowledging El Neny’s vast experience, suggested that Attia performed better.
He pointed out that players like Zizo and Mohamed Salah, when losing possession, did not track back, emphasizing the need for Attia to contribute defensively and protect the front trio.
Despite recognizing the defensive strategies of coaches Héctor Cúper and Carlos Queiroz, El-Ghandour acknowledged that Egypt, under Vitor Pereira’s attacking approach, delivered a modest performance.
“There was a necessity to place Ahmed Hegazi on the bench rather than starting, and Mohamed Salah’s performance with the Egyptian national team has been on the decline for a while.
I was expecting a better performance from him in the match,” concluded Khaled El-Ghandour in his comprehensive analysis of Egypt’s performance in the encounter against Mozambique.
