In the wake of the national team’s premature exit from the current edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, led by Portuguese head coach Rui Vitoria, questions loom over the actions taken by the Egyptian Football Association (EFA), especially after a dismal performance marking one of the Pharaohs’ worst showings in the tournament’s history.
The downfall unfolded on Sunday as the Egyptian squad faced the Democratic Republic of Congo, succumbing to defeat in a penalty shootout during the Round of 16 after a 1-1 draw in both regular and extra time at the Félix Houphouët-Boigny Stadium in Abidjan.
The national team, under the current leadership of the Egyptian Football Association, headed by Jamal Allam, is experiencing a recurring pattern of failure.
This brings to mind the actions taken by the current board after the team lost the African Cup of Nations title to Cameroon and failed to qualify for the World Cup in Qatar.
Previously, under the management of Portuguese coach Carlos Queiroz, Egypt had reached the African Cup of Nations final in Cameroon, facing Senegal but ultimately losing in a penalty shootout.
The disappointment continued as the team faced Senegal again in the decisive World Cup qualifying match for Qatar 2022, resulting in elimination after a 1-0 victory in the first leg and a subsequent 1-0 defeat in the second leg, leading to a loss in the penalty shootout.
In a flashback, the Egyptian Football Association, led by Jamal Allam, expressed gratitude to Carlos Queiroz after mutually terminating his contract.
Ihab Galal was then appointed as the head coach amidst a divided board, particularly between Jamal Allam and board members Hazem Emam and Mohamed Barakat, who advocated for hiring a foreign coach.
Galal’s tenure witnessed mixed results, winning against Guinea but losing to Ethiopia in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers and suffering a significant defeat against South Korea in a friendly match.
The controversy surrounding the choice of a foreign coach added to the internal strife within the Egyptian Football Association.
As Egypt grapples with yet another football setback, the nation awaits the Egyptian Football Association’s response and decisions following this recent disappointment in the Africa Cup of Nations and the broader implications for the team’s future.
