Egypt U-17 coach after loss to SA: "The players stopped following instructions"

Photo credit: Egyptian Football Association

Ahmed El-Kass, the head coach of Egypt's U-17 national team, believes that his team may have lacked full concentration during their match against South Africa in the TotalEnergies U-17 Africa Cup of Nations.

Speaking about the match, El-Kass explained that South Africa also outperformed them tactically.

South Africa secured a 4-3 victory over Egypt in the first round of the group stage of the U-17 AFCON, currently being held in Morocco. Despite leading 3-1 at one point, Egypt ended up conceding defeat.

Ahmed El-Kass commented: "I congratulate the South African national team. This is football; there are wins, draws, and losses. It was a strange match for me, with a very unusual turnaround. We conceded a goal in the first minute, but then we recovered and scored the first, second, and third goals. At that point, the game seemed easy for us, but I do not want to blame the young players for the result—I take full responsibility."

He added: "The players felt they had secured the match and stopped following instructions. However, in the end, it was a very competitive and intense match. The scoreline was one of the biggest we have seen, and that is the beauty and heartbreak of football."

On what lies ahead for Egypt in the tournament, El-Kass said: "The upcoming matches are very difficult, and we need to work harder and unite as a team. Defeat can create division, but winning is crucial. I hope we can overcome this setback. We have no option but to win the remaining two matches."

Responding to whether the defeat was due to a lack of concentration or South Africa’s tactical superiority, El-Kass stated: "You could say it was both. The players lost some focus, perhaps due to overconfidence after taking the lead. At the same time, South Africa is a very strong team with high-quality players. We respected them from the start, and after conceding an early goal, we recovered well to score three goals. At that moment, South Africa could have given up, but they did not. They kept pushing and played an excellent match because they have top-level players."

He continued: "We lacked concentration in many aspects, but in the end, I take responsibility. These are young players, and we should not put too much pressure on them. They need to understand that football involves both winning and losing—this is fundamental."

El-Kass declared: "I know the Egyptian people are saddened by the result, and I acknowledge the tough road ahead. However, nothing is impossible in football. This sport is a source of joy for people, and through it, we witness incredible events, such as South Africa’s comeback from 3-1 down to win 4-3. That is the thrill and agony of football. Congratulations to South Africa; they delivered a great performance and turned their defeat into a remarkable victory."

Regarding the possibility of improving results and returning to winning ways, El-Kass added: "This is football; winning and losing are both part of the game. The players need to understand and accept this because they are still young. At times, you think you have something secured, but in football, nothing is guaranteed. It has its excitement and brilliance, but also its pain and heartbreak."

El-Kass concluded his remarks by saying: "Players should feel impacted and recognize their mistakes, but I do not want to be too harsh on them. These players have delivered good results before, and I hope we can continue to achieve positive outcomes. Nothing is impossible in football, and we still have a chance. Everything is possible because football is decided on the pitch, not by names, but by performance and output."

Egypt will face Burkina Faso on Thursday, April 3, at 5:00 PM GMT in the second round of the group stage, followed by a match against Cameroon on Sunday, April 6, at 4:00 PM GMT in the final round of the group stage.