AFCON qualifying action: Mauritania faces Egypt this Friday

Mauritania held a training session in Cairo on Thursday, just one day before their first of two Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Egypt.

Amir Abdou's team, 'Lions of Chinguetti,' will face 'The Pharaohs' in Cairo on Friday, then return to Nouakchott for the second match next Tuesday.

Mauritania's start in Group C has been a mix of results, as they secured a 1-0 win against Botswana in September, only to lose 2-0 in an away match against Cape Verde.

The Pharaohs on the other hand have launched their Group C campaign strongly, winning their first two matches against Cape Verde 3-0 and Botswana 4-0.

They have also maintained a perfect record against Mauritania, winning all three of their previous matchups.

Mahmoud Trezeuget, Egypt midfielder stated, "The Mauritanian team is a very good team and we always respect whoever comes to play against us, that's why God always help us and make things go in our favour. Our generation has always tried to give their best and we will always try until we reach our goal and the goal of the whole Egyptian people."

With a perfect record against Mauritania in their last three matches, Egypt is expected to dominate in both upcoming games.

Nonetheless, Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan has come under scrutiny from pundits and ex-internationals for his player selections and the team's disappointing showings throughout the year.

Hassan responded to his critics on Thursday while preparing for two consecutive Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Mauritania in the coming five days.

"For the past seven months, there has been ongoing criticism about our opponents not being worthy. Several older TV presenters, aged 60 or 70, have claimed they could team up and qualify for the World Cup... Some former international players have suggested that the upcoming matches aren't significant and shouldn't be played... I want to emphasize that in every away match, if I can't secure a win, I will at least ensure I don't lose," he said.

In March, Egypt had a close victory over New Zealand and suffered a 4-2 defeat against Croatia in a home friendly.

Later, during World Cup qualifying matches in June, they won 2-1 against Burkina Faso and drew 1-1 in an away game against Guinea-Bissau.

Egypt remains unbeaten in their last three clashes with Mauritania, making them the strong favourites for both upcoming games.