Mohamed Salah-led Egypt will kick start their campaign at the ongoing 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) on Sunday against Mozambique at Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium, hoping to go a step further than their agonising runners-up finish two years ago.
The seven-time champions are clear favourites to get maximum points and take command of Group B, but The Mambas will be aiming at spoiling the party. But with Salah who has been phenomenal at Liverpool, Egypt are the obvious favourites to grab all the three at stake in this encounter.
The Pharaohs were beaten in the final two years ago by Senegal on penalties in Cameroon, and Salah and his teammates will want to make up for that and add to their nation’s record seven tournament wins.
Speaking before the tournament, the Liverpool star player revealed his burning desire to finally get his hands on the AFCON trophy after coming close to the title on two occasions.
The Liverpool forward lost the 2017 final to the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon before coming up short again four years later to the Teranga Lions of Senegal led by former teammate Sadio Mane.
“I want to win this competition having come so close twice,” Salah stated according to a report on CAFOnline.
Egypt qualified for AFCON 2023 by winning Group D ahead of Guinea, Malawi and Ethiopia. They finished with 15 points from six matches, only dropping points in a surprise loss to bottom-place Ethiopia in June 2022 thanks to goals from Dawa Hotessa and Shimelis Bekele, before getting revenge in the reverse fixture in September last year.
Stats and Head-to-head
-Mozambique have been drawn in the same group as Egypt for the fourth time in five appearances at the AFCON. Including this game in Abidjan
-This is Egypt’s 26th appearance at the AFCON, a record in the history of the tournament. They have won it seven times – more than any other side – and have also reached the final in five of their last six participations.
– Egypt have lost only one of their last 19 AFCON group matches, a 1-0 defeat against Nigeria in the 2021 edition, which also happens to be the only goal the Pharaohs have conceded in their last 11 group games.
– The last time Egypt lost an AFCON group game by more than one goal was over 30 years ago, in the 1990 edition against hosts Algeria (2-0).
– Mozambique have won none of their 12 previous matches at the AFCON, drawing two and 10 defeat
– Coming into this year’s competition, Mozambique have failed to score in 75% of their AFCON matches (nine out of 12), the highest ratio among any team to have played at least 10 matches at the tournament.
