By Alaa Mostafa
The coaching board for the Egyptian national football team, presided over by Héctor Raúl Cúper, has been working hard on the final touches for their match plan against Ghana at Borg El-Arab Stadium in Alexandria, Egypt on Sunday.
This match is part of the African qualifications for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
In his plan, Cúper depends on collective movements and quick rebounds. The match’s manoeuvres will begin with Mohamed Salah during some phases of the match.
The point is to trick the coaching director of the rival, whose plan depends on suspending Salah, so as to protect Ghana’s victory.
In Wednesday’s training, it seems that Cúper is depending on the pair of Mahmoud Trizigih and Amr Wardah. Both will have a great role in Cúper’s plan, as he wants to utilise the talented players, along with Salah, to swiftly switch from defence to attack.
Cúper is considering allowing Al-Ahly’s player Ahmed Fathy be the holding mid-fielder, along with Ahmed Hegazy; however, he is considering leaving Ali Gaber to sit among the reserve players.
Ehab Lihita, director of the Egyptian national football team, confirmed that the camp will keep to a harmonious rhythm, adding that the coaching board and the players are determined to win this match.
On the other hand, Cúper sat with the players, before the video’s session, to pick out the strong and weak points of their rival. Cúper requested that his players stick to their role in the match and concentrate on each detail he is explaining.
Cúper addressed the attack, highlighting the importance of reaping even half of the opportunities that may arise. He added that in such matches, there are rarely opportunities for the opponent’s goal.
Adel El-Tounsi, Alexandria’s security director, told Daily News Egypt: “We request the audience to cheer in a suitable manner and to not use fireworks, in order to conclude this match safely.”
After the match’s tickets sold out on Tuesday, several tickets entered the black market spread in the Cairo Stadium area. Black market traders sold tickets for EGP 120—the unified ticket originally cost EGP 50 from an official vendor.
