Published Date: 2025-05-02 17:35:02 Updated At: 2025-05-02 17:35:02

As part of the ongoing support for national teams, the final training session of Egypt's U-20 national team witnessed notable official attendance, represented by Ashraf El-Baghrami, Head of the Sports Sector at the Ministry of Youth and Sports. This came in implementation of the directives of Dr. Ashraf Sobhy, Minister of Youth and Sports, ahead of the decisive match against Zambia in the third round of the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations, currently being held in Egypt.

This official presence came at a crucial time for the young team, which is engaged in intense and decisive matches in order to secure a qualification spot in Group A. The team will face Zambia on Saturday evening, amid a strong sense of focus within the technical and administrative camp.

El-Baghrami assured the players and technical staff that the minister is closely following every detail of the team’s preparations, and that his presence today on behalf of the minister is part of the efforts to provide psychological and moral support to the players. He conveyed a clear message: "You are the hope of the future, and we are all behind you."

He also pointed out that Dr. Ashraf Sobhy wished he could attend in person, but was held up by official duties in Aswan Governorate. He emphasized the importance of providing all forms of logistical and moral support to the team to create the ideal environment for the players to perform at their best.

The training session also saw the presence of several important sports figures, including Waleed Darwish, member of the Egyptian Football Association’s Board of Directors, and Captain Alaa Nabil, the technical director of the EFA. Both were keen to meet with the technical staff and players, stressing the importance of focus in the upcoming match against Zambia.

In a special statement, Captain Alaa Nabil expressed his unlimited confidence in this generation of players, pointing out that the youth team possesses outstanding technical and physical qualities and is capable of winning and progressing to the next round. He emphasized that the technical staff, led by Captain Osama Nabih, is doing tremendous work in preparing the team both technically and mentally.

Nabil confirmed that the team went through a strong preparation period and faced many challenges during the tournament, but it has a clear tactical identity and a fighting spirit that qualifies it to compete for the title—not just to advance to the next round.

According to the current standings, Egypt’s U-20 team is in second place in Group A with 3 points, having opened the tournament with an important win against South Africa before stumbling against Sierra Leone in the second round. The technical staff hopes to get back on track against Zambia and prove that the team deserves to move forward in the competition.

This match is a turning point in the young team's journey, not only in terms of the current tournament but also in preparation for upcoming continental and international tournaments, most notably the qualifiers for the FIFA U-20 World Cup.

Meanwhile, the technical staff led by Osama Nabih has called on fans to support the team and provide moral encouragement, especially since the tournament is being held on Egyptian soil—something that serves as an additional motivation for the players to give their best.

Egypt’s U-20 squad includes a group of promising players who represent the future of Egyptian football, with a large number of scouts from European clubs and national teams watching closely. This opens the door for some of these players to pursue international careers in the near future.

The final training session was filled with enthusiasm and discipline, as the coaching staff focused on tactical aspects and shooting drills, and rehearsed specific offensive and defensive plays to be used against Zambia, given the importance of achieving a positive result.

At the end of the session, the Head of the Sports Sector held a closed meeting with the technical and administrative staff of the team, during which he expressed his admiration for the commitment and discipline he witnessed, stressing the importance of representing Egypt in a manner worthy of its football reputation.

The players expressed their gratitude for the strong official support they are receiving and affirmed their determination to fight until the final whistle to secure victory and bring joy to Egyptian fans.

The match will be held tomorrow evening, Saturday, amid great anticipation from fans and media alike. Everyone hopes this will mark a new beginning on the path toward the long-awaited championship title.