Egypt Vs. DRC: Rui Vitoria left with no choice in AFCON 2023 R16

With his best player (Mo. Salah out), Rui Vitoria has no choice but to do with others in his team, hoping that the void can be filled.

Coach Rui Vitoria said his Egypt team are not at 100 percent capacity going into Sunday’s anticipated AFCON game against DR Congo but will fight inside the pitch to move to quarter-finals.

The Pharaohs will be facing DR Congo at Laurent Pokou Stadium in San Pedro in the round of 16 of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cote d’Ivoire.

The seven-time African Champions Egypt have already qualified for this round on Monday after finishing second in Group B with three points from three successive draws.

“We will be facing a strong opponent but since day one here we considered every match as a final match,” the Portuguese coach said in the pre-match press conference on Saturday.

“We are not at 100 percent capacity because of the recent problems and injuries that we faced,” said Vitorio.

“But this is football. We understand we have a big responsibility and we will do our best inside the pitch.”

Vitoria added that his team faced a bit of bad luck after suffering a series of injuries.

Egypt was dealt major blows after the injury of key star and skipper Mohamed Salah and first-choice keeper Mohamed El-Shennawi in the group stage games against Ghana and Cape Verde, respectively.

Salah is currently undergoing a rehabilitation program with premier league giants Liverpool in the hope of being ready for the AFCON final if Egypt manages to proceed.

Meanwhile, Shennawi is confirmed to miss the rest of the tournament.

Influential midfielder Emam Ashour is also doubtful for Sunday’s game after sustaining a mild concussion during training on Wednesday

“DR Congo is a strong and well-organized team that includes a host of good players, They know everything about us but we also know what we need to do against them,” the coach explained.

Vitorio stressed that his team is determined to beat DR Congo, adding: “Small details will play a key factor inside the game.

According to Vitoria, the team needs to develop certain points and also concentrate better to avoid mistakes that cost them six goals in the first round.

“We are only thinking in tomorrow’s game – we are not worrying about the name of our opponent in the next round,” he concluded.

DR Congo secured the second spot in Group F with three points, after a scoreless draw against Tanzania in their final group game.

The Leopards, who won the AFCON twice in 1968 and 1974, also drew 1-1 in their first two matches against Morocco and Zambia.

Egypt have won three of their four previous encounters with DR Congo in the AFCON, including a 4-1 victory in the 2006 edition on home soil.

If the Pharaohs advance, they will face the winner between Equatorial Guinea and Guinea in the quarter-finals.