Mexican manager Javier Aguirre. Photo: Reuters
Egypt national football team coach Javier Aguirre warned his players that it is very difficult to score against African teams who have an outstanding physical presence on the field, making the comments ahead of Egypt taking on eSwatini in the 4th round of the 2019 African Cup of Nations qualifiers on Tuesday.
With Aguirre at the helm, the Pharaohs managed to score 10 goals in two games, crushing Niger 6-0 and eSwatini 4-1.
“We scored 10 goals in our first two matches and this is more than any other team in the qualifiers, but it doesn’t mean we will score many goals tomorrow against eSwatini or against Tunisia and Niger in the last two games,” the 59-year-old coach told a press conference prior to his side’s game against eSwatini.
“Scoring against physically strong African teams is hard,” Aguirre stressed.
The Mexican manager told the conference that he intends to psychologically provoke the players to get the best out of them.
“I pay a lot of attention to the psychological aspects. You have to make the player feel he is a member of your family and this is when the player exerts all possible efforts for the benefit of the team,” Aguirre said.
After Friday's 4-1 win over eSwatini in Cairo, Egypt are co-leaders of Group J with six points following a brilliant first half display that saw all the highlights for the Pharaohs.
If Egypt beat eSwatini on Tuesday and if Niger fail to collect more than a point against Tunisia, the Pharaohs will book their seat at the African Cup of Nations for the 24th time in their history.
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