Helmy Tolban, head coach of Egypt’s local national team, commented on the 1-1 draw with Kuwait in the opening match of Group C at the Arab Cup 2025 in Qatar.
Tolban said after the match: “First, I want to say that the match was a one-sided game in both halves. The first half alone could have ended 4-5 goals in our favor, and the second half was the same.” He added: “That’s football, sometimes chances are missed, but thankfully we managed to recover with two penalties—one missed and the other scored. The players did their best, and we will make up for it in the upcoming games, God willing.”
The match saw Egypt dominate the game, especially in the first half, but numerous clear scoring opportunities were wasted. Kuwait managed to score from a powerful header in the 64th minute.
Tolban substituted Mohamed Sherif for Marwan Hamdy, who later won a penalty that Afsha converted to level the score after Kuwait’s goalkeeper was sent off. The match also featured player disputes over penalty execution and a post-match scuffle between Marwan Hamdy and a Kuwaiti player, quickly resolved by officials.
Egypt will face the UAE next Saturday in their second Arab Cup group match at Lusail Stadium, with expectations to correct their mistakes and capitalize on scoring chances.
