AFCON
Ahead of Nigeria –Egypt Afcon showdown, Iconic keeper Hadary says Egypt should fear no one
Egypt will begin their quest for a record extending ninth victory at the Africa Cup of Nations on Tuesday with a titanic clash with three time winners and 10 time finalists, Nigeria.
The match in Garoua may set the tone for what the two teams may achieve as the competition enters its 33rd edition.
According to an Egyptian publication, Ahram, Egypt’s goalkeeping coach and iconic shot-stopper Essam El-Hadary said the team should fear no one if they are to win the African Cup of Nations for the first time in 12 years.
He was in goal in 2010 when Egypt and Nigeria last met at the Africa Cup of Nations. Egypt won the match 3-1 and went ahead to win the cup.
The Pharaohs have not won the coveted title since they clinched the last of their record seven crowns in 2010. They came close in 2017, only to surrender their lead and lose 2-1 to Cameroon in the final.
Four years ago, El-Hadary produced heroics at the age of 44 to steer Egypt to the final but he is now tasked with guiding younger keepers, who would dream of following in his footsteps.
“For a team that wants to win the African Cup of Nations, it should not matter who they face.
“There is no such thing as small teams in Africa, ” El-Hadary said in a video interview carried on the Egyptian Football Association’s Twitter account.
“To go far, you need to have a specific target in your mind. For us, this means winning the tournament.”
Egypt, who were drawn in Group D of the Nations Cup, open their campaign against Nigeria on 11 January before Guinea-Bissau and Sudan.
“We need to be careful and take it one game at a time. It’s a step by step process,” El-Hadary, who won four Nations Cup titles with Egypt, added.
According to Libya’s news outlets, there are palpable fears in the Libya national team which faces successive crises and trying to avoid early elimination from the Africa Cup of Nations qualifying series.
The team which faces the Super Eagles this week has been plagued with players’ absences occasioned by injuries and boycotts.
The coach recently appointed has revealed the names of players refusing to represent the national team.
In a press conference held on Saturday, Coach Nasser Al-Hadhiri remarked that the absence of several players were due to real injuries.
In that class are Ahmed Al-Tarbi, a defender of Ahli Tripoli; Mohammed Al-Tabbal of Al-Nasr club and Ali Youssef who also suffered the injury while playing with Tunisia’s Club Africaine.
If the Libyan national team sticks to plans, the players are expected to have arrived in Nigeria ahead of their Thursday’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifying duel in Uyo.
With most players drawn from the domestic league, the national team had daily training sessions in Tripoli under coach Nasser Al-Hadhiri and his assistants Akram Al-Hammami and Abu Bakr Al-Hark.
However, according to media sources in Libya, the team faces injury worries even though the absence of Victor Osimhen in the Nigerian squad is being celebrated.
Even though it did not mention the injured Libyan players, Libya Al-Ahrar Channel reports that replacements were found in Al-Tahadi FC defender, Mohammed Khalil and Al-Nasr midfielder, Abdullah Abdul Rahim as well as Al-Akhdar winger, Faraj Ghaidhan. They take the places of the absent regular players.
Franck Mawuena who recently renewed his contract with Remo Stars has received a call-up to the Togolese squad for this week’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match. He had previously featured in the Belgian League.
He was part of the Remo Stars squad that finished second in the Nigeria Premier league last season. He scored six goals.
Togo will be away to Algeria on Thursday before hosting the reversed fixture on 14 October.
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