Live: Egypt U23 v Ivory Coast | 2019 U23 AFCON FINAL

Time: 13:00 Cairo Local Time
Venue: Cairo Stadium

Africa U-23 Cup of Nations Organizing Committee congratulated the Egyptian people for the tremendous achievement of the U-23 national team after securing a spot at the competition’s final and booking a ticket to the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo.

The committee also urged the Egyptian fans to go to the Cairo stadium to cheer for the national team at the final against Ivory Coast tonight.

Egypt defeated South Africa 3-0 on Tuesday thanks to Ramadan Sobhy penalty and two goals from the team winger, Abdelrahman Magdy.

The team aims to continue their amazing run at the competition and win the title for the first time in the nation’s history.

The stadium gates will be open from 1:00 pm and will close at 6:30 as the closing ceremony will start one hour before the final.

The Organizing committee will allow FAN ID and ticket holders to enter the stadium to watch the final.

On the other hand, the fans will enjoy watching the decisive game between South Africa and Ghana which will start at 4:00 pm to decide the third-place winner who will accompany Egypt and Ivory Coast to the Olympics.

Egypt:

Egypt U23 coach Shawky Gharib hopes his team maintains its victorious path in the U23 Africa Cup of Nations, while at the same time fans enjoy Friday’s final against Ivory Coast.

“We are playing an important game concerning Egypt’s football reputation. Four months ago we left this stadium crying after being eliminated from 2019 AFCON. So it’s important to perform with greatness in this final,” Gharib told a pre-game press conference Thursday.

“Certainly first place and third place will be very happy, but if you lost in the final and came second you will feel sad. The third placed have made an achievement. I hope to finish the tournament as winners,” Gharib said.

“Our targets were to reach the Olympics, then the U23 AFCON final, then win it. We have the motivation to win, being the strongest in attack and defence,” he added.

Gharib also praised finalists Cote d’Ivoire after their successful campaign in the tournament, saying, “Cote d’Ivoire are an organised team and have many experienced and well-paced players. We have to know that we are facing a group leader in the final, and I hope to introduce a game that represents African football.”

Ivory Coast:

Cote d’Ivoire U23 coach Soualiho Haidara has revealed that squad absences will motivate the team to play hard in the U23 Africa Cup of Nations final against Egypt.

Cote d’Ivoire reached the U23 AFCON final after defeating Ghana on penalty shootouts Tuesday, and are to meet Egypt Friday at Cairo International Stadium.

“For me the absences are a big motivation to the available group. No one will feel that our team is incomplete, as existing players possess great experience,” Haidara told a pre-game press conference Thursday.

The Ivoirian team lost one of its shining stars, Christian Kouame, Genoa’s forward, who suffered from a cruciate ligament injury.

“We can’t ignore Egypt’s strength in both defence and offence, and their abilities to make a difference, and we respect them greatly. But we also will be a concern for them,” said Haidara.

“My father and my elder brother won this tournament in Egypt before, and I hope to walk in their path and win it as a coach,” he added.