Sports News of Thursday, 6 January 2022
Source: goal.com
Egypt forward Mohamed Salah has warned their rivals at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations that they will fight to claim the title.
The North Africans are focused on winning the continental showpiece for a record eighth time after they failed to make it past the round of 16 stage at the 2019 edition on home soil.
Carlos Queiroz’s side will kick-off their campaign in Cameroon with a fixture against Nigeria at the Roumde Adjia Stadium on January 11.
The last time the Pharaohs clinched the title was in 2010 and Salah has called on the fans to support Egypt as they aim to displace reigning champions Algeria.
“The road is not easy, but we will fight to get back with the cup. Stay behind us,” Salah wrote on Instagram.
Egypt have been training in Cairo ahead of the Afcon that will begin on January 9 and they will depart for the city of Garoua on Friday.
Salah is looking to win his first major silverware with Egypt after their second-place finish at the 2017 Afcon in Gabon.
The two-time African Footballer of the Year has played 73 games for the Pharaohs so far and he has 45 goals to his name.
Egypt coach Carlos Queiroz also echoed Salah’s ambition but he said qualification for the 2022 Fifa World Cup remains the top priority.
“Our goal in the AFCON is to try to win every game, build a winning mentality because in March we will play the final stage of the qualifiers,” the Mexican said, per King Fut.
“I will only have four days before it. I know that Egypt has a great history in the AFCON, but our goal remains to qualify for the World Cup. I was not the one who set qualifying for the World Cup as the main goal for the team.
“FIFA put the Club World Cup at the same time as the AFCON, and this reflects on the importance of the qualifiers, which will take place by themselves in March.
“We have to play better than the team was 10 years ago. All the teams that we will face in the tournament are doing better now than they were in 2010. We’re not going to AFCON to take a walk, we are going to win.”