Cape Verde coach vows to fight for win over Egypt in AFCON

Cape Verde coach Bubista said on Sunday that his team will do everything to beat Egypt in their final group match at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire on Monday.

Ahmed Seif , Sunday 21 Jan 2024,
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Cape Verde
Cape Verde s head coach Pedro Leitao Brito looks on during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) 2024 group B football match between Cape Verde and Mozambique at the Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium in Abidjan on January 19, 2024. AFP

 

The island nation's team, who have already qualified for the last 16 as group leaders with six points, are aiming for their first-ever win over the record seven-time champions, who have two points and need a victory to secure their place in the knockout stage.

"We have confidence in all the players and we will do everything to win against Egypt. We have a great responsibility in front of our fans and the group points have not closed yet. We will play in the same way that we played against everyone," Bubista told a news conference.

He said he had no preference whether to field his regular starters or rotate his squad, adding that all his players are ready to face Egypt.

"The team is eager to showcase their best and they're ready to put their skills to the test against Egypt. They're driven by a relentless desire to win, fueled by their commitment to teamwork and continuous improvement. Each match and tournament has been a stepping stone, and they feel they've grown stronger and more cohesive with every challenge," he added.

Bubista praised his players for their achievements in the continental competition, saying they had shown their quality and determination against strong opponents such as Ghana, whom they beat 2-0 in their opening game.

"We trust our players and they have experience. We have a great responsibility in all the matches, and we face all the matches in the best possible way. We have worked in previous periods to improve the capabilities of our national team, and it is a small country, but we have great players, and we want to win all the matches," he said.

Cape Verde winger Garry Rodrigues, who played alongside Egypt defender Ahmed Hegazi at Saudi club Ittihad Jeddah, said he was looking forward to facing his former teammate and the rest of the Egyptian team, whom he described as having many great players.

"I used to play with Hegazi two years ago, and I spoke with him; we will play a big match like Ghana. We showed everyone that we are an integrated team and that we will focus only on the next match. We have the goals that we seek to achieve, and we must have confidence and focus," Rodrigues said.

He said he was proud of qualifying for the round of 16 and hoped for his team to continue their impressive run in the tournament.

"I have the pride of qualifying for the round of 16, and there will be another match in the group against a very strong team. We always have the enthusiasm and desire to win the matches. As a player in the national team, I think we can present a great performance," he added.

Check the AFCON matches and standings

Check the AFCON stats

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Group A W D L P
Cameroon
2 1 0 7
Burkina Faso
1 1 1 4
Cape Verde
1 1 1 4
Ethiopia
0 1 2 1
Group B W D L P
Senegal
1 2 0 5
Guinea
1 1 1 4
Malawi
1 1 1 4
Zimbabwe
1 0 2 3
Group C W D L P
Morocco
2 1 0 7
Gabon
1 2 0 5
Comoros
1 0 2 3
Ghana
0 1 2 1
Group D W D L P
Nigeria
3 0 0 9
Egypt
2 0 1 6
Sudan
0 1 2 1
Guinea Bissau
0 1 2 1
Group E W D L P
Cote d Ivoire
2 1 0 7
Equatorial Guinea
2 0 1 6
Sierra Leone
0 2 1 2
Algeria
0 1 2 1
Group F W D L P
Mali
2 1 0 7
Gambia
2 1 0 7
Tunisia
1 0 2 3
Mauritania
0 0 3 0