Thursday 25 December 2025 – 12:20 AM
Shawky Gharib, the former Egyptian football star, confirmed that the beginnings are always difficult in the combined tournaments, noting that the Egyptian national team appeared well during the first minutes of its opening match against Zimbabwe.
Shawqi Gharib’s statements
Shawky Gharib said, during television statements, that the Egyptian team was the most dangerous during the first 15 minutes of the match, and succeeded in creating many opportunities, but did not succeed in translating them into goals.
Shawky Gharib added: The only chance that reached Egypt’s goal was a goal, and after Zimbabwe’s goal, some imbalance occurred within the team’s ranks, which is normal at the beginning of tournaments.
Gharib touched on the talk about replacing Imam Ashour, explaining that the technical staff was in a state of confusion before the start of the match when choosing the starting lineup, stressing that Imam Ashour appeared at a good level during the minutes in which he participated.
Gharib explained: Imam Ashour is a player who matures and gains experience with time, but Hossam Hassan’s thought required replacing him during the match, and replacing him in the first match does not mean that he is out of the calculations. On the contrary, the player will have an important role in the upcoming matches.
Shawky Gharib concluded his statements by emphasizing his confidence in the Egyptian national team’s ability to quickly correct mistakes and emerge stronger as the tournament matches progress.
