The second leg of the second round of the AFCON U23 qualifiers will be exciting for some selections that will have to raise their level to hope to go to the next stage.
Exit the first leg of the second round of qualifying for the AFCON U23. Now in a week, the return matches. Some coaches have seven days to learn lessons, readjust to rectify the situation at home or away.On Sunday, October 23, some big names found themselves in trouble and are not at all safe from elimination next week. Among these selections that will play their survival in this qualification to the Olympic AFCON, are Senegal, Algeria, Egypt, Tunisia. All of them have known however some frustrating results. They will have to do everything to reverse the trend. Moreover, the Senegalese coach knows it well when he says at the end of the virgin draw against Burkina Faso. "With more patience, we could not have posed more difficulties to the opponent. We had the will to come back in the game but the opponent resisted to the balance of power. This first game is full of lessons. So, we will not hide the lessons of this game. Once we have learned the lessons of this game, we will project ourselves on the return leg. Also, we have things to review in our attitudes, in the game project that we want to put in place around this team, "said Demba Mbaye.
How to overcome the three-goal gap at home? This is undoubtedly the question that the coach of Algeria is asking. Humiliated in DR Congo (4-1), the Olympic Fennecs are the least well off among all the selections that will try to qualify for the third and final round of the CAN U23. The Algerian coach Nourddine Ould Ali may even be gambling on his future as head of this national team in case of elimination. "We have to come back from three goals in the second leg and we will do everything to achieve this. The goal we scored here keeps us alive. We will play at home and we will give everything to qualify", he commented at the end of the game. The speech is ambitious but it must be translated on the field.
Egypt forced to draw (0-0) by Eswatini could well qualify for the next round. With the advantage of receiving, the Pharaohs will have no problem to get rid of the opponent Eswatin. Tunisia will also be expected to be revived at home. The Carthage Eagles were indeed beaten by Congo Brazzaville on the lowest score (1-0).
