TANGIER, Morocco — The captain of the Egyptian team at the on-going CAF U-23 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) said that they must improve in their next two group matches.
Ibrahim Adel was voted Man of The Match said that after the goalless draw against Niger in a Group B match.
The midfielder insists they must get better in the next two group matches to maintain their hopes of reaching the knock-out phase of the tournament.
“It was a very tough opening match, but we have learnt our lessons and must come all out and try to get a good result in our next match against Mali,” said Adel.
On Wednesday, Egypt will face Mali in their next Group B match, while Gabon will battle Niger.
The U-23 Africa Cup of Nations is a quadrennial African football tournament organized by CAF for its nations, consisting of players U-23 years of age.
The first three teams in the continental competition will represent Africa in next year’s Olympic Games in Paris.
The head coach of Egypt’s U-23 team said that he will work round the clock to find solutions to the scoring problem his side faced in the opening match against Niger.
Egypt, the reigning champions, was held to a barren draw by Niger in a Group B match played in Tangier.
“It is evident we had a problem putting the ball in the net. We have to work hard to find solutions to the scoring problem as we continue in the competition,” Egypt’s coach Rogerio Micale said after the game.
The Young Pharaohs were drawn in Group B alongside Niger, Gabon, and Mali. They will face Mali on Wednesday before taking on Gabon, three days later.
Micale said he is not worried about starting with a draw in such a competition because what matters most is how a team completes the tournament.
“I once started with a draw with a junior team of Brazil, but we ended up winning gold,” the 54-year-old coach added.
Despite the draw, the coach made it clear that he is proud of the performance of his team because they created scoring chances and also hit the post four times.
“We need to look carefully at the remaining two teams we must face in the group so that we improve and get better results, “added the Brazilian coach.
He also pointed out that his team must learn how to utilize the final third because there is no weak team in this competition.
Although Egypt had promised to come all out and win their opening match, they found the match tough at the Ibn Batouta Stadium in Tangier
The reigning champions came all out attacking in numbers, but found a well organised Niger team that defended well.
In the first-half, Egypt’s captain Adel had two clear chances to score, but shot wide after 25 minutes. Later Adel also had his second attempt saved by the Niger goalkeeper Naim Attenhoven.
The debutant making Niger team that opted for a more defensive approach barely attacked at the Egyptian goal before going into the interval.
In the second-half, Niger’s Mahamadou Moussa Ismael had an attempt at the Egyptian goal, but missed the target when he fired wide.
The two teams made some changes as Egypt continued to dominate play, but lacked the finishing touch in front of goal.
Elsewhere, spectators attending the clash between Mali and Gabon in the second round barely had time to settle before the scoreboard underwent a dramatic transformation.
In the 3rd minute, the referee awarded Gabon a penalty following a foul inside the box. Emmanuel Ovono confidently faced Mali’s goalkeeper Lassine Diarra and made no mistake, giving Gabon a 1-0 lead.
However, that goal ignited a fierce response from Mali, who established their presence in Gabon’s territory. Under pressure, goalkeeper François Junior Bekale committed a serious foul, conceding a penalty to the Malians. Mamadou Sangaré equalized the scoreline, making it 1-1.
Shortly before halftime, Sangaré’s teammate Cheickna Doumbia emulated his success, granting Mali an advantage just minutes before the break. It’s worth noting that Gabon’s goalkeeper, François Junior Bekale, was sent off at the end of the first half.
In the 60th minute, Badra Alou Diallo made his first substitutions, bringing on Coli Saco and Alassane Tamboura, who injected a fresh impetus into the struggling West African team in the second half.
The coaching decisions proved to be a winning formula. Just when it seemed the match was heading for a 2-2 draw, Alassane Tamboura, perfectly assisted by Coli Saco, ruthlessly beat Gabon goalkeeper securing a 3-1 victory for Mali’s promising team.
Gabon, making their return to the U-23 Africa Cup of Nations since their triumph in the inaugural edition in Morocco in 2011, suffered a defeat. However, Saturnin Ibela Ignambi’s squad will have the opportunity to redeem themselves on Wednesday when they face Niger. Meanwhile, Mali will face Egypt in their next fixture.
