Hossam Hassan: The Match between Egypt and Benin is Like an Early Final

SadaNews - Hossam Hassan, the coach of the Egyptian national team, emphasized the importance of respecting Benin, their opponent in the round of 16 match on Monday in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, pointing out that the match is akin to a "final".

Hossam Hassan explained that Egypt's ambition is to qualify for the quarter-finals, while fully respecting the opponent who "did not advance by chance," but has steadily moved through the qualifiers of the Africa Cup of Nations and the World Cup within a strong group.

The Egyptian coach emphasized the identity of the national team, stating: We are the Africa champions 7 times, and we represent a nation of 120 million football lovers, and the players are determined and with their spirit, we will advance to the quarter-finals, as the championship for us is the match against Benin.

Hassan also touched on the team's physical condition, mentioning that Mohanad Lashin is still suffering from an injury and has not participated in collective training, and that duo Mustafa Mohamed and Osama Faisal are experiencing minor bruises, but he reassured fans about everyone's readiness.

The coach praised Mohamed Salah, describing him as "one of the best players in the world in the last 10 years," emphasizing his exceptional professional mentality and ability to break records with Liverpool and the national team, wishing him to lead his country to achieve the title.

Hassan rejected the tone of underestimating the opponent or recalling the scenario of Morocco's exit in 2019, confirming that the professionalism of African players in Europe has made all matches difficult, and said: Those who want the title must respect their opponents, and facing Benin is like a final.