Guinea coach Morlaye Cisse has emphasized the importance of capitalising on the advantage they hold over Egypt when the two sides face in the semi-finals of the 2023 Caf U23 Africa Cup of Nations tournament on Tuesday.

While Guinea concluded their Group A matches last Friday, the defending champions played their final group match on Saturday, giving the Guinean team an additional day of rest. According to Cisse the extra day of rest should spur his side to get victory against the defending champions.

“We do have an advantage over them due to the extra day of recovery, which makes a significant difference in football. We must make the most of it,” Cisse told the media ahead of the game as quoted by CafOnline, adding: “This team has worked extremely hard to reach this stage, and I must emphasize that Guinea possesses a wealth of talent capable of delivering positive results on the continent.”

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He further stressed the need for Guinea to showcase their best performance and etch their own mark in history, by saying: “We narrowly lost to Morocco in the group stage, and we anticipate a similar style of play against Egypt. It is crucial that we work diligently to contain their approach and assert our own style.”

Cisse’s sentiments were echoed by midfielder Fode Camara, who said: “I have complete faith in our capacity to win this game. We are well-prepared, focused, and highly motivated to excel on behalf of Guinea,” adding: “We are here to make history, to qualify for the Olympics, and to clinch the title.”

Guinea kicked off their campaign with a 2-1 defeat against hosts Morocco but bounced back to secure a 3-1 victory over Congo Brazzaville. A draw against Ghana in the final group match sealed their spot in the last four.