Egypt’s U23 v South Africa | Match Preview | U23 AFCON Semifinals

Egypt’s U23 national football team coach Shawky Gharib has asked for the fans’ support during the game against South Africa in the U23 African Cup of Nations semifinals, stressing that the team’s main goal is to reach the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

Egypt will face South Africa in the U23 Africa Cup of Nations semifinals on Tuesday at Cairo Stadium, as the two sides bid for a place in the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

The top three teams of the U23 continental tournament will qualify for the Tokyo Games.

The U23 Africa Cup of Nations is held in Egypt from 8 to 22 November.

“The Egyptian fans are urged to support the team as the current squad promises to join the senior team’s squad in the near future,” Gharib told a press conference on Monday.

“I ask the fans to attend the game in huge numbers as they always play an important role during the critical games.

“The Olympic team do their best to please the Egyptian fans as well as achieve the dream of reaching next summer’s Olympic games in Tokyo,” Gharib added.

South Africa booked their place in the semifinals after they placed second in the Group B ranking with five points, while Egypt achieved the full mark of nine points to snatch the top place in Group A.

“The game against South Africa will be difficult as they are a well organised team,” Gharib said.

“We have not achieved our target so far, as we have a big target of winning the game as well as book a place in the Olympic Games,” the young Pharaohs’ coach said.

“We have studied South Africa team well and we promise to meet the Egyptian fans’ hopes of winning the title and reaching the Olympic Games.”

Egypt aim to book a place in Tokyo 2020 after the team missed the 2016 games in Rio de Janeiro.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHfGMFtgv4s

The Egyptian team last took part in the Olympic Games in 2012, reaching the quarterfinals before losing 3-0 to Japan in Manchester.