CAIRO - Egypt's U-23 technical coach Hani Ramzi was delighted when his side qualified for the U-23 African Cup of Nations (ACN) semi-finals, after defeating South Africa 2-0 on Saturday night. "They played well and their standard is improving," said Ramzi, promising the Egyptian fans that the players would do their best to reach the final. The Young Pharaohs opened the U-23 ACN, which runs to December 10 in Morocco, with a 1-0 victory over Gabon (The Panthers), thanks to a goal from Ahmed Magdi. "We achieved what we wanted to, snatching all three points," explained Ramzi, stressing that he is optimistic that the team can do something good for the country in this coming rounds of the tournament. Egypt have finished top of the group with six points, as Gabon grabbed a sudden 3-1 win over Côte d'Ivoire to snatch second place and a berth in the last four of the ACN tournament. The young Pharaohs will face Morocco, the host country, on Wednesday night at 10:30 (Cairo Local Time), while Gabon will meet Senegal at 7:30pm. The tournament, the first edition of the U-23 ACN, serves as the qualifying championship for the 2012 London Olympic Games. Ramzi thanked all the players, especially goalkeeper Ahmed el-Shenawi, and defenders Ahmed Hegazi, Ali Fathi and Moaz el-Henawi for playing so well. “The players are concentrating hard for the Morocco match; they are all aware that they must win the game to get to the final and ensure a berth in the 2012 Olympic Games, making the fans happy," stressed Ramzi, explaining that the coaching staff have been watching many of the videotapes of the Moroccans' recent matches. "The players did exactly what the coaching staff told them to before the match," Ramzi added, explaining that their passing of the ball was good, while they kept to their positions properly, allowing them to control the midfield zone. "The team will be ready for the Morocco match. We know it's going to be a difficult challenge," added Ramzi, stressing that Morocco are a quality team. The Young Pharaohs, who have not qualified for the Olympics since 1992, are aiming to put on well in the hope of grabbing the ACN title and qualifying for London next year. The first two teams of each group have qualified for the semi-finals of the championship, while the two finalists will automatically go through to the Olympics, along with the third-place winner. The fourth place team will face an Asian representative in two-leg ties, with the winner also qualifying for London. Although my players playing for local teams and are not professionals, I have great confidence in them," stressed the ex-Al-Ahly player, pointing out that, if these young stars can prove themselves by reaching the Olympics, they could well become professionals with European teams. Wednesday's matches: 7:30pm Gabon v Senegal 10:30pm Egypt v Morocco
