Hassan emphasized the challenges faced by his players and the limited preparation time available. 

"The players deserve credit for their performance, especially after a long season, the foreign-based players were impressive," Hassan said.

He highlighted the difficulties of preparing for the match with only four days to gather the players and prepare them to face a strong team like Cape Verde. 

Hassan acknowledged the scrutiny surrounding his tactical decisions, including player positions. "Had anything gone wrong, I would have been criticized," he remarked, defending his choices, including using Trezeguet in a versatile role. 

"We handled Cape Verde well during the match, despite facing challenges due to injuries," Hassan explained. 

"The injuries to Mostafa Mohamed and Rami Rabia necessitated adjustments to my plans," he explained. 

"Cape Verde’s defence focusing on marking Mohamed Salah created opportunities for Mohamed Hani and Ahmed El-Sayed 'Zizo' to move forward, which we capitalized on," Hassan said.

Despite Cape Verde's resilience, Hassan was pleased with the overall performance and execution, especially from set-pieces.

"Although Cape Verde pushed until the end, we still had clear chances," he concluded. 

In further remarks to OnTime Sports, Hassan underscored the importance of preparation for foreign-based players, stating, "We work with each player individually, and we have an advantage with the foreign-based players because they had a proper preparation period at the start of the season."

Despite the challenges, Hassan expressed satisfaction with the team's performance saying, "We overcame all these difficulties and were rewarded for our hard work and for enduring all the pressures."

The win places Egypt at the top of their group, which includes Mauritania and Botswana.

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