Egypt coach Hassan Shehata said the match against DR Congo in the African Cup of Nations quarter-finals will not be an easy one. "Whoever thinks the match against Congo is easy is mistaken," Shehata told Filgoal.com on Monday. "All the teams that qualified to the second round are strong at have a shot at the title." "There is no such thing as an easy match and a tough match in the African Cup. The Congolese team weren't at their best because of the pressure they were under from facing title contenders Cameroon," he added. Shehata, however, did not hide his excitement about avoiding Group D winners Cameroon. "There is no denying that facing Congo is much easier than facing Cameroon," the Egyptian manager admitted. Hosts Egypt finished as Group A winners after beating Ivory Coast, who finished in second place, 3-1 earlier this week.
The Pharaohs resumed preparations for Friday's match against Congo after taking a day-off to rest and recuperate. Shehata asked his players to stay focused and avoid the players' agents lurking in the hotel where they reside, noting that their chances of landing a European deal will increase if they win the African title. Shehata commented on Mohamed Abou-Treika's absence from the final eight match due to suspension. "Abou-Treika is a great player and is pivotal for our team, but we have several suitable substitutes to replace him. "Ahmed Hassan will be the one filling in for Abou-Treika as playmaker against Congo while Hassan Mostafa will play in midfield," said Shehata. On the other hand, Egypt's medical staff told Filgoal.com that striker Ahmed Hossam "Mido" will undergo two days of rehabilitation before joining his teammates in training. Filgoal.com believes Mido's chances of playing against Congo are minimal and Shehata is planning to field Hossam Hassan or Amr Zaki for the Tottenham striker.
