Egypt's U-23 side know that nothing but a win over Nigeria will put them in pole position to qualify for the semi-finals of the African Cup of Nations in Senegal. Both sides meet in a Group B clash on Wednesday at the Caroline Fay Stadium in Mbour, with Nigeria eyeing a win to secure passage to the semis after their opening 3-2 victory over Mali while Egypt seeking to make up for a disappointing 1-1 draw with Algeria. The young Pharaohs threw their lead to allow Algeria back into the game, with coach Hossam El-Badri confident they would improve in the second match against Nigeria. However, he admitted that Wednesday's match will be tough. "The Nigeria match will be tough as both teams combine very skilled and talented players and because it's the second game of the tournament," the former Ahly boss said. "We need to win the game to keep our hopes of reaching the semi-finals alive in an attempt to win it and snatch the Rio ticket. "We are working on the players' morale, setting motivations for them so they can close the Algeria game file." After Nigeria, Egypt will play Mali three days later. The top two teams in each group will qualify for the semis in the eight-team tournament. The first three teams in the Nations Cup will represent Africa in the upcoming Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. Having qualified for the 2012 London Olympics after finishing third in the 2011 Morocco Cup of Nations - the inaugural edition of the continental tournament - Egypt are eyeing a similar top-three finish in the Senegal edition. The other group includes hosts Senegal, South Africa, Zambia, and Tunisia. (For more sports news andupdates, followAhramOnlineSportson Twitter at@AO_Sportsand onFacebookatAhramOnlineSports.) http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/172351.aspx
