Pharaohs of Egypt coach, Javier Aguirre has urged his players to ensure they maintain a high level of concentration in their international friendly against Nigeria, as he aims to use Tuesday’s game to send a message.
Aguirre is already setting his sight on helping the host nation excel at the Africa Cup of Nations, ahead of which he says they need to pick good results in their preparation matches and stay focused all the way.
Sports247.ng learnt further that The Pharaohs are aiming for victory on Tuesday, as the team’s assistant coach, Tito Garcia Sanjvan says they want to start their AFCON 2019 preparations on a resounding note.
Sanjvan added that they were disappointed with their inability to beat Niger Republic on Saturday, in their last match of the AFCON 2019 qualifiers, hence their determination to step up against the Eagles.
Though the Egyptians are in Asaba without their top player, Mohammed Salah of Liverpool, Sanjvan said the team has come with a mentality to win and build confidence in their array of young players.
Sanjvan regretted the Egyptian team could not get the three points in their last group game against Le Mena of Niger Republic, but added that seeing them improve is uppermost for their young players.
Although he admits it is bound to be a tough friendly match, considering Nigeria’s rich pedigree and teeming partisan supporters, Javier Aguirre’s aide stressed that the visitors from North Africa will give their best.
He admitted that Nigeria’s Eagles will be among the favourites to win AFCON 2019, hence their delight with the opportunity of playing them on Tuesday, after which they will take their build-up programme step-by-step, then focus fully on winning the competition in July.
Sanjvan said: “There are five or seven teams in the tournament that can win it and Nigeria is one.
“This type of tournaments is difficult to predict. So, we take it step by step.
“We play always to win. We try to do our best. For us it is an important because Nigeria is a very tough team.”
