Senegal coach Aliou Cisse has downplayed his team’s chances ahead of their 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifying match against Egypt.
The newly crowned African champions will renew their rivalry with the Pharaohs less than two months after their clash in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations final game on February 6.
On Friday, Cisse announced his star-studded squad for the two-legged game fixed for March 25 in Cairo and March 29 in Dakar.
The list is dominated by the 2021 Afcon winners, with Casa Sports goalkeeper Alioune Badara Faty as the only home-based player in the squad.
Although Senegal defeated Egypt 4-2 on penalties to win their first Afcon title in history earlier this year, Cisse has refused to identify his team as favourites ahead of Carlos Queiroz’s men.
“This double confrontation with Egypt, the team that we have just beaten in the Afcon final on penalties promises to be tough and very difficult,” Cisse said in a press conference via Foot Mercato.
“We are champions of Africa, but we are not favourites, because the statistics say that all the teams that have been African champions have not qualified for the World Cup.
“It’s another competition, we will do everything to qualify. Professional football, high-level football does not only feed on the past. Today, we are facing two very important dates for Senegalese football.”
