The Egyptian national football team is gearing up for a crucial encounter against Ghana in the second round of the group stage at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire.
The match is scheduled for Thursday evening at the Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium in Abidjan.
Egypt began its campaign in the Africa Cup of Nations with a challenging draw against Mozambique, ending the match with a 2-2 scoreline last Sunday.
As they prepare to face Ghana, the Egyptian team is familiar with the dynamics of overcoming initial setbacks in the continental tournament.
Participating in the Africa Cup of Nations for the 26th time, the Pharaohs have clinched victory 19 times in their opening matches, drawn twice, and suffered defeats on five occasions.
Reflecting on Egypt’s historical performance, “Al-Masry Al-Youm” highlights seven instances where the Egyptian national team stumbled in their opening Africa Cup of Nations matches:
1. Ethiopia 1972:
In the 1976 Ethiopia edition, Egypt faced its first stumble by drawing with Guinea 1-1.
However, they later secured a spot in the final by defeating Uganda 2-1 and drawing with Ethiopia 1-1, ultimately finishing in fourth place.
2. Egypt 1986:
In the opening match of the 1986 Egypt edition, the Pharaohs suffered a 1-0 defeat against Senegal.
Despite this setback, they rebounded with victories against Ivory Coast and Mozambique, eventually winning their third title by defeating Cameroon in the final through a penalty shootout.
3. Morocco 1988:
Egypt bid farewell to the 1988 Morocco edition in the group stage after losing 1-0 to Cameroon, winning 3-0 against Kenya, and drawing 0-0 against Nigeria.
4. Algeria 1990:
In the 1990 Algeria edition, Egypt faced defeats in all three group stage matches, losing 3-1 to Ivory Coast, 1-0 to Nigeria, and 2-0 to Algeria.
5. Senegal 1992:
The Pharaohs exited the 1992 Senegal edition in the group stage after losing to Zambia and Ghana, both with a 1-0 scoreline.
6. Gabon 2017:
Egypt started the 2017 Gabon edition with a goalless draw against Mali but rebounded with victories over Uganda and Ghana.
However, they faced defeat in the final against Cameroon, losing 2-1.
7. Cameroon 2021:
In the 2021 Cameroon edition, Egypt began with a 1-0 defeat against Nigeria, followed by victories over Sudan and Guinea-Bissau.
Despite reaching the final, they lost to Senegal in a penalty shootout.
Egypt’s rich history in the Africa Cup of Nations showcases its resilience in bouncing back after initial challenges, underscoring the team’s determination to secure victory on the continental stage.
