Venue: Estádio Nacional 24 de Setembro (Bissau)
Referee: Mahmoud Ismail (Sudan)
Four days after their 2-1 victory over Burkina Faso in the World Cup qualifiers, Egypt is set to continue their qualifying campaign with an away game against Guinea-Bissau on Monday. The Pharaohs aim to maintain their perfect record in the competition.
The Egyptian national team has secured three consecutive wins, placing them at the top of Group A with a maximum of nine points. They currently hold a four-point lead over second-placed Guinea-Bissau.
The upcoming match is crucial for both teams. A win for Egypt would further extend their lead at the top of the group, while Guinea-Bissau will be desperate for a victory to keep their hopes alive in the competition.
Despite Egypt’s flawless performance in the qualifiers, including the recent 2-1 win over Burkina Faso, coach Hossam Hassan emphasized that nothing is guaranteed yet. He urged his players to maintain focus, especially in the upcoming match against Guinea-Bissau.
“The qualifiers are a long process, and we must maintain our rhythm and concentration to achieve our goal of reaching the World Cup,” Hassan stated following their victory over Burkina Faso.
He acknowledged the strength of Guinea-Bissau and stressed the importance of performing at their best to maintain their winning streak.
In the match against Burkina Faso, the Pharaohs exhibited a shaky performance. Despite scoring two early goals within the first eight minutes, they struggled to maintain their pressure in the second half, allowing their opponents to regain confidence and score.
“I reminded my players not to repeat the same mistakes in the upcoming games and give our opponents a chance to gain confidence,” added Hassan.
The game against Burkina Faso marked Hossam Hassan’s first official appearance as the coach of the Pharaohs. He implemented a tactical change, opting for a 3-5-2 formation instead of the classic 4-3-3.
It remains uncertain whether Hassan will stick with the same tactic against Guinea-Bissau or revert to the classic formation, especially with the return of fullback Mohamed Hamdi, who missed the Burkina Faso clash due to suspension.
Furthermore, given Mahmoud ‘Trezeguet’ Hassan’s excellent form, having scored twice in the previous match, and the presence of Liverpool star Mohamed Salah supporting FC Nantes striker Mostafa Mohamed, it’s unlikely that Hassan will make changes to the frontline.
The upcoming game is expected to be challenging, especially after Guinea-Bissau’s frustrating goalless draw at home against Ethiopia in their previous match.
As a result, the Guinean side can’t afford to drop more points in the qualifiers, having already dropped four out of a possible nine.
Guinea-Bissau will be eager to avenge their loss against Egypt in their sole encounter during the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, where the Pharaohs claimed a 1-0 victory thanks to a goal from Mohamed Salah.
