In a post-match press conference, Hassan said: “We are Egypt, not a small team. We must play with speed and aggression. This match was tough, and our win was no accident.”

Mahmoud Hassan “Trezeguet” and Mohamed Salah scored for Egypt, securing their third victory in as many rounds of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

The Pharaohs' need a draw in the return leg against Mauritania on Tuesday to qualify for the 2025 tournament.

Hassan expressed concerns over the impact of local media’s portrayal of Egypt’s opponents as weak, saying it led to fewer fans in the stands.

“I wish the stadium had been full, but the fans were influenced by what they heard in the media,” he said.

Hassan also addressed Mohamed Salah’s reported request to skip the return leg in Mauritania due to the artificial turf, stressing he would respect any player’s preference under such conditions.

“Mauritania plays very aggressively, and their tackles are rough,” he noted.

Explaining his tactical decision to field Omar Marmoush as a striker instead of Mostafa Mohamed, Hassan said he had studied Mauritania’s style carefully. “If we had played both together, it would have weakened our midfield. We needed players like Marwan Attia and Hamdi Fathi to control the second balls, and we succeeded.”

Looking ahead, Hassan praised right-back Mohamed Hany, calling him “the best in Egypt,” but remained cautious about the fitness of defender Mohamed Abdelmonem, who sustained a strong bruise. “I won’t risk him if he’s not fully fit,” Hassan said.

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