Hossam Hassan: Substituting Salah was a tactical decision and we aim to gather as many points as possible

Hossam Hassan, the coach of the Egypt national team, spoke about the Pharaohs' draw against Angola on Friday evening at Cairo International Stadium in the Africa Cup of Nations Qualification for 2027.

The match between Egypt and Angola, which took place on Friday evening in the first round of the Africa Cup of Nations Qualification 2027, ended in a goalless draw 0-0.

Hossam Hassan confirmed during the press conference after the match that all players gave their best on the pitch, stating: "I am satisfied with the players' performance during the match against Angola, and everyone did what they had to do and exerted maximum effort throughout the game."

Regarding the decision to substitute national team captain Mohamed Salah during the match, Hossam Hassan clarified the matter decisively: "The substitution of Mohamed Salah comes as part of a pure technical vision, and this is a legitimate right of the coaching staff according to the requirements of the match."

The Pharaohs' head coach emphasized that the focus is currently on continuing their journey successfully, commenting: "Our main goal is to collect and accumulate as many points as possible in the Africa Cup of Nations Qualification to ensure official qualification for the Africa Cup of Nations."

Hossam Hassan concluded his statements by saying: "We are currently working hard to prepare for the match against South Sudan, especially since the game will be played in different conditions and on artificial turf, which requires special preparation."