Egypt, Cape Verde to clash for a final spot in the AFCON qualifiers
Egypt face Cape Verde for a spot in the final stage of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers
Egypt will face Cape Verde in a two-legged tie for a place in the final stage of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. The Pharaohs will host the first leg on Saturday, March 26, before travelling to Praia for the return fixture on Tuesday, March 29.
Egypt will be looking to make it to their third consecutive AFCON finals, while Cape Verde will be hoping to reach the tournament for the third time in their history.
Egypt are the record seven-time winners of the Africa Cup of Nations, while Cape Verde have never won the tournament. However, the Blue Sharks have reached the quarter-finals of the last two editions of the competition.
The match between Egypt and Cape Verde is expected to be a close affair. The Pharaohs will be slight favourites, but Cape Verde have shown that they are a dangerous team, especially at home.
Mohamed Salah will be the key player for Egypt, while Ryan Mendes will be the one to watch for Cape Verde. The match will be played at the Cairo International Stadium, which will be full to capacity.
Here is a look at the key talking points ahead of the match:
- Egypt will be without Mohamed Elneny, who is suspended for the first leg.
- Cape Verde will be without Patrick Andrade, who is injured.
- The match will be played in a hostile atmosphere, with the Egyptian fans expected to be in full voice.
- Egypt will be looking to score an away goal, which could prove crucial in the second leg.
- Cape Verde will be hoping to keep things tight at home and then go for the win in the second leg.
