Ghana’s opponent Egypt reject pre-AFCON friendlies

Ghana’s opponent Egypt have turned down friendly match offers from South Korea and Sweden ahead of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

An official source within the Egyptian Football Association revealed that, in addition to South Korea and Sweden, offers were also received from Nigeria and Cameroon to engage in friendly encounters with the Pharaohs.

The decision to decline these offers stems from the strategic approach of the team's technical staff, led by Portuguese coach Rui Vitoria.

The coaching team are wary of facing formidable opponents before the AFCON, expressing concerns about potential player injuries.

As a result, Vitoria and his assistants are actively seeking to schedule matches against teams ranked in the third or fourth tier on the African continent.

Egypt, placed in a challenging AFCON group alongside Ghana, Cape Verde, and Mozambique, are carefully planning its preparations for the tournament, prioritising a balanced and injury-free lead-up to the competition set to take place early next year.