Egypt national team coach Rui Vitoria expressed satisfaction with his side’s 2-0 win over Tanzania in a friendly match on Sunday.
The victory serves as good preparation for Egypt ahead of the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) as they aim for their first glory in 13 years.
Speaking after the match in Cairo, Vitoria emphasized that the performance shows Egypt are ready for AFCON, which kicks off on January 9th in Ivory Coast.
“We delivered a convincing performance against a defensively-minded side like Tanzania,” Vitoria stated in the post-match press conference.
Egypt comfortably claimed a 2-0 victory, with goals from Mahmoud “Trezeguet” Hassan and Mohamed Salah. Trezeguet opened the scoring in the 33rd minute before Salah sealed the win with a 73rd minute penalty.
Vitoria was pleased to secure a win over stubborn opposition using a low defensive block. He believes it bodes well for Egypt’s AFCON opener against Mozambique, who will adopt a similarly cautious approach.
“The playing style of Tanzania is similar to what we expect from our Nations Cup opponents, Mozambique,” the Portuguese coach explained.
With Egypt aiming to claim a record-extending 8th African crown, Vitoria will be hoping his in-form attackers can unlock opposition defenses in Ivory Coast.
The Pharaohs head into the tournament full of confidence after an encouraging performance in their final pre-AFCON friendly match.
They will begin their Nations Cup campaign on Sunday 14 January, against Mozambique in the opening match of Group B, which also includes Ghana and Cape Verde.
