Egypt ready for Eagles, says Cuper

Nifemi Daniel

Egypt national team coach, Hector Cuper, has expressed his team’s readiness to battle Nigeria’s Super Eagles in the African Nations Cup qualifier double header billed for March 26 and 29 respectively.

The Argentine reiterated Egypt’s determination to face any team in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

Egypt, under Cuper, has won three and lost once in four competitive games, and also won four of five friendly matches. Egypt topped their 2017 AFCON qualifying group after winning both opening matches and are through to the group phase of 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia qualifying after a 4-1 aggregate victory over Chad.

“We have the right balance between young and experienced players, some of whom play in top European leagues,” he told FIFA.com.

“There is no such thing as easy opponents as journalists call them. We must respect any team regardless of the ranking and history, because Egypt itself has suffered in the past qualifiers because it dropped points in what you call easy games,” Cuper said.

He added that: “I would be lying if I said that I don’t wish to avoid certain teams in the World Cup draw, but my job is to get Egypt prepared for any opponent. My job is to make the likes of Côte d’Ivoire, for instance, be worried that they will face us.”

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