TANGIER, Morocco — Egypt’s national team captain Ibrahim Adel said that they are determined to retain the CAF U-23 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title.
Adel told CAFonline in an interview that they cannot wait to kick start their 2023 campaign in their opening Group B match against Niger on Sunday at 8:00pm Cairo Local Time at the Ibn-Batouta Stadium in Tangier, Morocco.
The Egyptian national team will battle against Niger, Mali and Gabon in Group B.
“We have prepared well and are hungry to retain this title and qualify for the Paris Olympic Games so that we also make Egyptians back home very happy,” added the attacking left winger who also features for Pyramids FC back in the Egyptian Premier League.
Eight teams will be battling for top honors where the winners, along with the silver and bronze medalists will secure a place in the Paris Olympic Games 2024.
Speaking about the other seven teams that will battle in the competition the Egyptian captain made it clear that they won’t underrate any team.
“Every team that qualified to play in the U-23 AFCON is good enough to be here, and we must respect them,” explained Adel.
He however reasoned that they will take every match like a final because all the matches in the competition are very important.
“We are focused and all the players are determined to prove a point,” added the skipper who was also part of the U-23 Egyptian squad at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.
In 2019, Egypt emerged champions in front of their home fans after a hard fought 2-1 win against Cote d’Ivoire after extra time at the Cairo International Stadium.
On Sunday, Ghana who finished fourth in the 2019 battling Congo in a Group A match, while defending champions Egypt will face Niger, and Mali take on the 2011 champions Gabon in Group B matches in Tangier.
Looking at Group B, Egypt headlines the pool as the defending champions and will be looking at making a statement of intent when they face off against Niger, who is also making their first appearance in the competition.
In other group B fixture, Mali will be hoping to make it out of the group stages for the first time after coming short in the last two editions.
They face an uphill task against inaugural champions, Gabon who will be looking at replicating the performance of the 2011 generation that went all the way to lift the title.
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