Cairo pledges support for AngloGold Ashanti to accelerate Sukari mine operations    New Egypt–European scientific cooperation programmes coming soon: EU ambassador    Egypt trains Palestinian police for future Gaza deployment as ceasefire tensions escalate    Giza master plan targets major hotel expansion to match Grand Egyptian Museum launch    Golden Pillars Developments unveils Swar project as part of EGP 15bn investment plan    Three kidnapped Egyptians released in Mali after government coordination    Egypt raises minimum, maximum insurance wage starting Jan 2026    Egypt's EMRA signs MoU with Xcalibur for nationwide mining survey    How to Combine PDF Files Quickly and Easily    Egypt's agricultural exports climb to 8.5m tons in 2025    Maternal, fetal health initiative screens over 3.6 million pregnant women    Ahl Masr Burn Hospital Concludes First Scientific Forum, Prepares for Expanded Second Edition in 2026    Australia returns 17 rare ancient Egyptian artefacts    Egypt expands rollout of Universal Health Insurance    China invites Egypt to join African duty-free export scheme    Egypt calls for stronger Africa-Europe partnership at Luanda summit    Egypt begins 2nd round of parliamentary elections with 34.6m eligible voters    Egypt warns of erratic Ethiopian dam operations after sharp swings in Blue Nile flows    Egypt scraps parliamentary election results in 19 districts over violations    Egypt extends Ramses II Tokyo Exhibition as it draws 350k visitors to date    Egypt signs host agreement for Barcelona Convention COP24 in December    Al-Sisi urges probe into election events, says vote could be cancelled if necessary    Filmmakers, experts to discuss teen mental health at Cairo festival panel    Cairo International Film Festival to premiere 'Malaga Alley,' honour Khaled El Nabawy    Cairo hosts African Union's 5th Awareness Week on Post-Conflict Reconstruction on 19 Nov.    Egypt golf team reclaims Arab standing with silver; Omar Hisham Talaat congratulates team    Egypt launches National Strategy for Rare Diseases at PHDC'25    Egypt adds trachoma elimination to health success track record: WHO    Grand Egyptian Museum welcomes over 12,000 visitors on seventh day    Egypt launches Red Sea Open to boost tourism, international profile    Omar Hisham Talaat: Media partnership with 'On Sports' key to promoting Egyptian golf tourism    Sisi expands national support fund to include diplomats who died on duty    Egypt's PM reviews efforts to remove Nile River encroachments    Egypt resolves dispute between top African sports bodies ahead of 2027 African Games    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Experience gives Guinea Bissau better shot at second round
Reuters Published in Ahram Online on 23 - 06 - 2019

Guinea Bissau are hoping to go one better than their Africa Cup of Nations debut two years ago and have targeted a place in the second round now that they have more experience under their collective belt.
The small west African country, a former Portuguese colony best known as a transit hub for cocaine smugglers and for political instability, were shock qualifiers for the last edition in Gabon where they won a lot of admirers.
They have kicked on to qualify for a second successive tournament, finishing top of their qualifying group.
It means they can now set their sights higher.
"Our first ambition at this moment is to get through the first phase and to try and reach the quarter-finals," said coach Baciro Cande.
"Our first Cup of Nations was great exposure. We got a chance to participate but we did not have the experience, but this second time we have more chance.
"We know in advance that Guinea Bissau is a small country and we do not have the strength that the other countries have like Cameroon and Ghana," he added, referring to two of their formidable Group F rivals.
Guinea Bissau begin their campaign on Tuesday against Cameroon in Ismailia.
“We will look to our strengths in every game and I assure you that Guinea-Bissau will give a good account of themselves.” Calde added.
At the last finals, Guinea Bissau certainly did not look overwhelmed.
They scored a dramatic stoppage time equaliser to draw with hosts Gabon in the tournament's opening game and led Cameroon for almost an hour before eventually losing 2-1. They finished bottom of their group with one point.
Guinea Bissau suddenly sprung from nowhere by eliminating former champions Congo and Zambia in qualifying for the 2017 finals, having strengthened their squad by using players born in Portugal to immigrant parents.
Before that, they had only previously won four matches in Nations Cup and World Cup qualification combined since first entering international competition in 1992.
(For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.)

Clic here to read the story from its source.