Egypt's U-23 football team coach Shawky Gharib said his players are ready for tough opponents in the Africa U-23 Cup of Nations, after the draw for the prestigious world tournament placed hosts Egypt in Group A that includes the heavy-weights Cameroon, Ghana and Mali. 

 

"All the matches will be difficult. African football teams have evolved. The African continent now possesses a large number of young talents who are capable of achieving success," Gharib, 60, told reporters on the sidelines of the draw ceremony.

 

The tournament will take place from 8 to 22 November in Egypt at Cairo International and Al-Salam stadiums.

 

Group B includes Nigeria, Ivory Coast, South Africa and Zambia.

 

Nigeira won the second edition of the tournament in 2015, which was hosted by Senegal. 

 

The first three teams will qualify directly to the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, while the fourth-place finisher will play against a team from the Asian Football Confederation, to also book a seat in the Olympics.

 

"The Pharaohs are ready to face any team. Our aim is to collect the title. We're going to fight to make Egyptians happy and make up for what happened at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations," he added, referring to the Pharaohs early exit from the AFCON in July.

 

Egypt finished third at the 2011 U23 Nations Cup and suffered an embarrassing group-stage exit in the 2015 edition.