Pachuca coach Uruguay Guillermo Almada has vowed his team will not make excuses for the two-day gap between Brazil’s Potafogo and Egypt’s Al-Ahly in the Intercontinental Cup in the Qatari capital. Doha
“We will not look for excuses by talking about having only two days of rest before facing Al-Ahly. We are preparing better to play the game and we have to focus more on the game and not focus on other things,” said Almada, before Pachuca’s match against Al-Ahly in the semifinals of the tournament. said in an earlier press conference.
The Uruguayan coach pointed out that the presence of Al-Ahly fans will always be a source of support for the Egyptian side, while also a motivating factor for Pachuca. “We’re used to playing in front of a lot of fans who support the opponent,” he said.
“We will strive to do our best on the field,” he continued, “because regardless of which team the fans support, what happens on the field determines the outcome of the game.”
The Uruguayan coach said about the Egyptian team, “Al-Ahly is a strong team, which is distinguished by its collective play, which has more than one good player in more than one position, and does not depend on one player. Adding to their strength on a physical and tactical level.”
Almada insisted that Tusos’ 3-0 win over Brazil’s Botafogo in the quarter-finals is now a thing of the past and that the result will not affect the Brazilian team as one of the most important teams in its country.
For his part, Pachuca goalkeeper Carlos Moreno noted that playing in this environment was a reason to achieve success and thus delight the Mexico fans.
“We entered the game with enthusiasm and courage and regardless of the opponent’s name we will always try to win,” declared the goalkeeper.
Moreno praised Al-Ahly’s veteran Egyptian goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shenawy, noting that he is an excellent goalkeeper and possesses world-class technical skills.