Egypt manager Hossam Hassan admitted his side made life difficult for themselves in their 2–1 win over Zimbabwe.
Mohamed Salah salvaged the result with a stoppage-time winner. However, from where Hossam Hassan sees it, Egypt’s wastefulness in front of goal turned what should have been a routine victory into a tense affair.
“We were unlucky in this game. We wasted many chances and made it harder than it should have been,” Hassan told BeIN Sports. “I warned the players about this scenario, and we have to learn the lesson.”
The Pharaohs controlled much of the match but missed several clear chances. Forwards Emam Ashour, Mahmoud Hassan ‘Trezeguet’, Omar Marmoush, and Salah all finished poorly.
After Zimbabwe took a surprise lead midway through the first half, Hassan made an early tactical switch, withdrawing Emam Ashour in the 33rd minute for Nantes striker Mostafa Mohamed.
“Emam Ashour is a great player, but he is not fully fit yet after a long absence,” the manager explained. “I decided to take him off to protect him from the pressure.”
Egypt equalised through Marmoush in the second half before Salah snatched the win in the dying moments.
While the late victory earned Egypt a share of top spot in Group B alongside South Africa, Hassan said it served as a warning about the difficulty of the competition.
“There are no easy matches in this tournament,” Hossam Hassan said. “We want to compete for the title. Egypt is a big nation in Africa and has the right to fight for the trophy.”
Egypt will next face South Africa on Friday, as they continue their bid for a record-extending eighth AFCON crown, and their first since 2010.