February 23, (THEWILL) – Egypt’s under-20 national men’s team suffered a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Nigeria’s Flying Eagles on Wednesday, at the ongoing TotalEnergies 2023 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations.
Mahmud Gaber, the Head Coach of the Young Pharaohs, attributed the loss to his team being under pressure after Solomon Agbalaka’s goal in the 71st minute. Gaber also acknowledged that injuries to key players had adversely affected his squad’s campaign in the tournament.
Both Egypt and Nigeria were keen on winning the match after their lacklustre performances in their respective opening games. While Senegal had defeated the Nigerian team, Egypt was held to a goalless draw by Mozambique. Gaber felt that his team had missed several opportunities to score, especially in the first half, and could have won the game if they had converted those chances.
Despite the defeat, the manager was optimistic about Egypt’s chances of qualifying for the next round. The team faces group leaders Senegal in their final group game, and Gaber believes that his squad will fight till the end to secure a win and progress to the next stage.
However, if Nigeria loses to Mozambique and Egypt manages to beat Senegal, Nigeria’s chances of qualifying may take a hit. There is, therefore, all to play for in Group A for a quarter-final berth.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
