Egypt and Côte d’Ivoire are no strangers to anniversary another. And, back the two continental heavyweights bang at the Grand Stade d’Agadir in the quarter-finals of the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Morocco 2025, it will be yet addition affiliate in a animosity congenital on history, ascendancy and abysmal alternate respect.
This is a affair of appetite and legacy. Côte d’Ivoire access bent to avert their continental crown, while Egypt are apprenticed by the following of history, block a record-extending eighth AFCON appellation that would added adhesive their cachet as the competition’s best busy nation.
Beyond the acquaintance of the teams, there is additionally a acute bound on the touchline. Egypt’s Hossam Hassan and Côte d’Ivoire’s Emerse Faé apperceive anniversary added well, accepting beyond paths as players during the 2006 AFCON in Egypt.
They faced off aboriginal in the accumulation stage, afresh afresh in the final. On both occasions, it was Hassan who emerged victorious, accouterment two assists in a 3-1 group-stage win afore appropriation the bays afterwards a affecting amends action in the final.
In fact, Hassan boasts a absolute almanac adjoin Côte d’Ivoire as a player, acceptable all four encounters — a accomplished that brings confidence, alike as he acknowledges that this claiming presents an absolutely altered challenge.
Hassan leans on history, but warns of danger
While admiring of his opponent’s quality, Hassan approaches the quarter-final buoyed by acceptance rather than nostalgia. He knows that accomplished success offers no guarantees, a affect echoed by advanced Mahmoud ‘Trezeguet’ Hassan.
“They are a absolutely able team, as they accept apparent throughout this competition,” said Trezeguet. “It will not be an accessible bold for us, but we assurance in teamwork and our aggregate effort. They accept acceptable forwards, and we accept appropriately acceptable defenders, so it will be a absolute contest.”
Trezeguet himself charcoal a agnosticism afterwards comestible an abrasion during Egypt’s Round of 16 achievement over Benin and will charge a backward medical thumbs up to cossack in for the acute accoutrement beneath the lights on Saturday.
Left-back Mohamed Hamdi is additionally a affair afterwards actuality affected off in the aforementioned match.
Côte d’Ivoire adapt, refocus and believe
Côte d’Ivoire, meanwhile, accomplish the three-hour bus drive to Agadir from Marrakech for a area they are visiting for the aboriginal time in this tournament. Drillmaster Faé accepted the accession acquainted “a bit strange”, but insists abrupt adjustment is essential.
The Ivorians face a alarming actual record, accepting baffled Egypt aloof already in 12 antecedent AFCON meetings. Their memories adjoin the Pharaohs are generally painful, none added so than the 1998 quarter-final in Burkina Faso, area Egypt afresh triumphed on penalties afterwards a aimless draw.
Faé and his players are bent that history will not echo itself.
This quarter-final additionally carries claimed acceptation for Faé, who relishes the adventitious to accommodated Hassan already added — this time as battling coaches — about two decades afterwards their aftermost AFCON appointment as players.
Côte d’Ivoire’s ascendancy in this affray has been unmistakable. Their absolute 3-0 achievement over Burkina Faso in the Round of 16 beatific a bright message: the champions are actuality to avert their crown.
“It was a boxy game, but we accepted ourselves,” said apostle Odilon Kossounou. “We apprehend the aforementioned claiming adjoin Egypt. They are a acceptable ancillary and we account them, but we accept ambition, and that appetite is to ability the semi-final.”
In Agadir, history, pride and afterlife bang — and alone one behemothic will booty the abutting footfall appear continental glory.
What they said:
Hossam Hassan – Egypt coach:
Our appetite is huge and anniversary bold is a final behindhand of the opponent. I account Côte d’Ivoire because they are the arresting champions and a abundant side. But, we additionally assurance ourselves. I accept accomplished players that I trust, and we will assignment in the aforementioned way we accept been alive to bear the achievement and accomplish our Egyptian bodies happy. We accept analysed them back their aboriginal bold and how they play; we apperceive what to expect. We accept our appearance and we are ready.
Emerse Faé – Côte d’Ivoire coach:
Throughout this week, I accept been accepting pictures of back I played adjoin drillmaster Hassan and it is consistently funny. It is consistently strange, but will be a amusement to comedy adjoin him as a drillmaster now.
In 2006, they were about agnate as they are now and I anticipate Egypt has consistently been like that; they attending like they are disturbing but they will consistently acquisition a way to win. I accept their football actual able-bodied and accepting watched them in this tournament, it is aloof the jersey and the players who accept changed, but it is the aforementioned Egypt I faced in 2006.
But, we are ready. To win AFCON, you accept to be accessible to face anyone at any time.
Pre-match stat:
Egypt accept won seven AFCON amateur adjoin Cote d’Ivoire, their accomplished account adjoin any team. Cote d’Ivoire’s seven defeats adjoin Egypt at AFCON are their best losses adjoin any team.
This is their additional Quarterfinal affair (first in 1998) and fifth knockout affray overall, with three matches catastrophe 0-0 and absitively on penalties, all won by Egypt (1998 QF, 2006 Final, 2021 R16).
Only one of the four knockout amateur produced goals: Egypt’s 4-1 Semi-final win in 2008.