After beating Ghana 2-0 in the second round of the 2018 African World Cup qualifiers and topping Group E with 6 points, Egypt assistant coach Osama Nabih believes that the Pharaohs are only 20% on the way to winning the tournament's finals in Russia.
"Beating Congo and Ghana in the first and second rounds of the qualifications means that we've gone 20% down the road to the World Cup, because we still have [to face] Uganda," Nabih told a television programme late on Thursday.
Egypt have moved a step closer to their first World Cup since 1990, after defeating Ghana 2-0 at home on Sunday in the qualifiers.
Ghana are third in Group E, ranking on a solitary point. Their hopes of making a fourth successive World Cup appearance hang by a thread.
"We excluded Ghana from the competition but we have another opponent, Uganda, who have four points in the group," Nabih added.
The Pharaohs now lead the group with six points, two clear of Uganda who defeated pointless Congo 1-0 on Saturday.
Egypt, who have not lost in a home World Cup qualifier since 2004, will face Uganda in two home and away matches next year.
More than 80,000 fans celebrated a joyful night on Sunday at Borg El-Arab stadium in Alexandria, erasing memories of the 6-1 first-leg humiliation in Kumasi in a World Cup qualifying playoff in 2013.
"The celebration of victory over Ghana was big because of the previous 6-1 loss to the latter that really affected the players," Nabih said.
"We are confident of the players' performance progress after the Ghana defeat," he added.
"Egypt's national team players are now fit to implement defence tactics, so we are working to develop the strikers' performance." The Pharaohs assistant coach concluded.
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