Egypt coach Mario Rogerio Reis Micale has admitted to being concerned with the team’s lack of goals at the on-going Caf U23 Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Morocco.

The defending champions have so far played two matches in Group B, the first ending in a 0-0 draw against Niger, and on Wednesday, they snatched a slim 1-0 victory against 10-man Mali. During the fixture against Mali at Grand Stade de Tanger, the Egyptians missed a host of scoring chances and had to settle for Ibrahim Adel’s strike in the 10th minute.

The outcome of the game has left coach Micale a very unhappy man insisting on the importance of continuous hard work to enhance their attacking prowess as the tournament progresses.

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“Despite having talented strikers, we are still wasting many scoring opportunities. It is crucial for us to strive for improvement as we advance to the later stages of the competition,” Micale told the media after the game as quoted by CafOnline.

In facing off against Gabon in their final group game, Micale said: “Every match in this tournament is challenging and requires a serious approach.”

Meanwhile, Egypt goal scorer Adel pulled an outstanding display which earned him the well-deserved title of Man of the Match, the second time he has received this accolade in the tournament.

Adel said on the latest success: “I am pleased to receive another Man of the Match award. Winning this honor for the second time motivates me to push myself even harder.”

On the win against Mali, he said: “Defeating Mali was no easy feat, and we are content with our performance. Now, we must regroup and prepare for our final group match against Gabon.”