Hosts Egypt face an uphill task when they take on 2004 African Cup of Nations finalists Morocco in the second round of Group A action on Tuesday. A win over the Atlas Lions would guarantee Egypt a place in the quarter-finals of the competition and take the pressure off their shoulders when they face tournament favorites Ivory Coast in the final group match on Saturday. For Morocco, any result besides a win could jeopardize their continental campaign after suffering a 1-0 defeat to Ivory Coast in their opening group match. Egyptian fans are hopeful their national team will be able to end the winless streak against Morocco that ran for exactly 20 years. Egypt's last victory over their North African arch-rivals coincidently took place on the Cairo Stadium, which will host Tuesday's game, in the semi-finals of the 1986 African Cup of Nations. Taher Abou-Zeid scored Egypt's only goal as the Pharaohs went on to grab the title. The Egyptian team, driven by their 3-0 win over Libya in the tournament curtain raiser, concluded their preparations for the game with a complete squad. Coach Hassan Shehata labeled the match against Morocco as a “do-or-die encounter” that Egypt have to win to avoid any setbacks.
Ivory Coast Shehata has closed the curtain on Egypt's training sessions but reports have suggested he will make minimal changes to the line-up that started the Libya game. Shehata's opposite number I n the Moroccan team, Mohamed Fakhir, has also kept the lid on his side's preparations and banned his players from giving interviews. Fakhir found himself in a predicament ahead of Tuesday's game following news that defender Abdeslam Ouaddou will be ruled out for three weeks through injury while the fate of star midfielder Mohamed Yaacoubi is uncertain as he is still nursing an injury sustained in the Ivory Coast game. In the other Group A match, Ivory Coast have a relatively easy task of facing Libya, possibly without talismanic striker Didier Drogba. The Chelsea striker left the pitch injured in the second-half of Ivory Coast's 1-0 win over Morocco on Saturday. Ivory Coast need a win over Libya to clinch their second round berth. Libya, on the other hand, will be looking to inspirational captain Tarek Al-Taib to help them bounce back and maintain their chances in qualifying to the second round. With Al-Taib fit for duty and duo Naji Shushan and Nader Kara coming out of their one-game suspension underdogs Libya may be able to upset the Elephants. Aboucherouane ready for Egypt encounter African Cup organizing committee to close stadium doors between matches Shehata refutes "Morocco complex" talk
