Pharaohs to train in Ismailia before SA match to qualify for ACN

Mahmoud Mohamed, Sunday 29 May 2011

Egypt's national team begins their six-day training camp in Ismailia for the crucial game against South Africa in the 2012 ACN qualifiers on 5 June

Ahmed Fathi
Egypt's Ahmed Fathi (R) is challenged by South Africa's Katlego Mphela during their 2012 African Cup of Nations qualifier soccer match in Johannesburg (Photo: Reuters)

The Pharaohs technical staff revealed that the preparatory programme will continue until 3 June, two days before the crucial game against South Africa in the 2012 African Cup of Nations qualifiers to be played in the military stadium in Cairo.

Coach Hassan Shehata in a meeting with the players asked them to concentrate on the crucial game that could renew the Pharaohs' ambitions for the race by saving their place at the 2012 finals, co-hosted by Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

The 61-year-old tactician revealed that the national team camp will be hosted by Ismailia in to raise the players’ concentration for the clash.

“I chose Ismailia to relieve the atmosphere for the players” Shehata told Al-Ahram.

“It’s difficult to speak about our strategy in the upcoming game but we will concentrate on strike lines” he added.

“We need to win the next three matches to qualify” Shehata announced privately to Al-Ahram.

“We have brilliant players who can manage the game and gain the three points we want" the Pharaohs coach said.

Egypt has won a record seven Cup of Nations tournaments, including the last three, but is at the bottom of the Group G table with a single point behind South Africa (seven), Niger (six) and Sierra Leone (two) at the halfway stage.

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