Aliou Cissé sets Angola target for Egypt CAN 2027 opener

Aliou Cissé has framed Angola’s opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against Egypt as a decisive early test in the group. The Palancas Negras coach also wants his side to approach the fixture on its own terms rather than draw confidence or concern from earlier meetings between the teams.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, 24 September, Cissé acknowledged that Angola will be without some players, including absentees dealing with family matters. He nevertheless believes the squad retains enough quality and depth to compete with the Pharaonic side. Several Angolan players are familiar with Egyptian football, which could provide useful knowledge before the encounter.

Cissé identified Mohamed Salah, Omar Marmoush and Hamza as Egypt’s main individual threats. He admitted that Egypt would not have been his preferred choice as Angola’s first opponent, underlining the scale of the challenge at the start of the qualifying campaign.

The Senegalese coach also praised Egypt manager Hossam Hassan, but said the new match should be judged separately from previous contests between the countries. With no results yet supplied for the group, the fixture’s immediate significance comes from its timing: it gives both teams an early opportunity to establish their position in the race for qualification.