Egyptian goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shennawy speaks during the press conference on Wednesday, 17 January, 2024. Photo courtesy of EFA.
The Pharaohs are scheduled to face Ghana in the Africa Cup of Nations following their disappointing 2-2 draw with Mozambique in the group opener on Sunday.
Mohamed Salah's late penalty salvaged a point for Egypt, narrowly avoiding an unprecedented loss to Mozambique.
On the other hand, Ghana had a poor start to the competition with a 2-1 defeat against Cape Verde in their opening match.
"Players are frustrated after the draw against Mozambique, but we have put the previous result behind us and are now focusing on the clash against Ghana," El-Shennawy told the pre-match news conference on Wednesday.
"We understand the significance of the game against Ghana, as there is no alternative but to win."
"Our goal remains unchanged – we want to win the Nations Cup title."
Regarding the challenging weather conditions that may have impacted their performance against Mozambique, the 35-year-old goalkeeper played down its negative effect. He highlighted the improved quality of African teams, stating that there are no longer any underdog teams in the continent
"The weather is not the reason for our setback against Mozambique. Our team is experienced, and our players are used to playing in any conditions."
"The African teams have shown improvement, and football on the continent has developed to the point where there are no longer any easy teams in Africa," The Ahly keeper concluded.
Check the AFCON matches and standings
Check the AFCON stats
(For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.)
Short link: