Egypt national football team coach Javier Aguirre has confirmed that he is working to win the coming game in the 2019 African Cup of Nations qualifiers, to march on step by step in all competitions the Pharaohs play in. The Mexican coach's first competitive match in charge of Egypt will be against Niger next month in the 2019 Cup of Nations qualifiers. "We have only one week before the Niger game so it's difficult to know all the players and it's early to judge the team's squad, but I have assistants to help me in this mission," Aguirre told a television programme late on Thursday. "Niger is a big team and they are well ready for the game but I am working to win to have a good position in the qualifiers," he added. Egypt are fourth in the 2019 CAN qualifiers Group J with no points after losing their opening game against Tunisia 1-0 last June. Aguirre attended Zamalek's 1-0 win over Maqassa in the third matchday of the Egyptian Premier League on Thursday and he wondered about the absence of spectators; the Egyptian Football Association intends to allow only 5,000 fans to attend domestic league matches starting 1 September. "I wonder about watching such empty stadiums like this," Aguirre said. The EFA, under the helm of elected chairman Hani Abou-Rida, unveiled Aguirre as the new coach of Egypt's national team in a press conference two weeks ago. The 59-year-old tactician replaced Argentinean Hector Cuper who led the Pharaohs this summer in Egypt's first World Cup since 1990, but disappointed football-obsessed Egyptians with three defeats, which some deemed a result of his conservative tactics. (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.)
