Egypt U-20 national team's coach Ossama Nabih. Photo courtesy of EFA.
The Young Pharaohs entered Wednesday’s match on the back of a narrow 1-0 win over South Africa, while Sierra Leone were coming off a goalless draw with Zambia.
“It was a shock and a disappointing result, and of course, we are sorry for the defeat,” Nabih told reporters after the match.
“We performed well in the first round,” he added.
Egypt started the match brightly, pressing high in the early stages, but struggled to convert possession into clear chances.
Thus, Sierra Leone gradually took control, threatening the hosts repeatedly on the counterattack.
“We tested Sierra Leone’s goalkeeper several times with four shots on target,” Nabih stated.
“The young players felt the pressure after the win over South Africa, and we made only a few changes to the starting lineup,” he continued.
The result puts Sierra Leone at the top of Group A with four points.
Egypt fell to third, level on three points with second-placed South Africa, who defeated Tanzania 1-0 earlier on Wednesday. South Africa hold the advantage on goal difference.
Hosts Egypt will face Zambia in their final Group A fixture on Saturday.
“We will prepare for the Zambia game in the coming days. We are determined to bounce back,” Nabih concluded.
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