Hossam Hassan: Short Rest Periods Affected Us Against Senegal; Nigeria Was Also Close to Final

Egypt national team coach, Hossam Hassan, believes that the short rest periods between matches during the Africa Cup of Nations "Morocco 2025" had a negative impact on his players, particularly in the semi-final against Senegal.

The Pharaohs' coach began his remarks at the press conference preceding the match against Nigeria, stating: "Our hard work led us to the semi-finals, and competing for the Africa Cup of Nations title is the best way to prepare for the World Cup."

He continued regretfully: "We were close to reaching the final, but fatigue took its toll on the players, and the short rest periods between matches affected us against Senegal."

He concluded his remarks about tomorrow's match, saying: "We started the competition with a friendly match against Nigeria in Cairo, and we will conclude our journey by facing them in the third-place playoff. Nigeria was as close as us to reaching the final."

The Egyptian national team is scheduled to face its Nigerian counterpart tomorrow, Saturday, at 17:00 GMT+1, at the Mohammed V Stadium in Casablanca.