Egypt U23 coach Mario Rogerio Reis Micale has expressed the team's strong desire to qualify for the Olympics and successfully defend their title after they successfully progressed from the group stage on Saturday.

Egypt has secured a spot in the semi-finals of the ongoing TotalEnergies CAF U23 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2023 after defeating Gabon 2-0 on Saturday.

The defending champions clinched their place in the knockout stage by finishing atop Group B with an impressive seven points, following two victories and a draw.

During the post-match press conference, head coach Mario Rogerio Reis Micale expressed the team's strong desire to qualify for the Olympics and successfully defend their title. "Our priority remains to retain the trophy," affirmed Micale.

Reflecting on their 2-0 victory against a 10-man Gabon team, Micale acknowledged the opponents' solid organization. However, he commended his team for maintaining momentum and scoring two goals in the final 10 minutes of the match.

"Our triumph is well-deserved due to the hard work put in by the team. I urged my players to stay organized, and the goals eventually came," stated Micale, who also congratulated his team for advancing to the next stage.

The Egyptian U23 coach expressed excitement over his team's impressive record of three goals scored and none conceded after two matches. Looking ahead to the semi-final stage, Micale recognized the challenges they would face against formidable opponents Guinea. "Undoubtedly, the semi-finals will be more intense, and Guinea will prove to be tough adversaries," he added.

In their opening match, Egypt was held to a goalless draw by Niger. However, Micale's team rebounded with a 1-0 victory against Mali.

As Egypt continues their quest to defend the title, Coach Micale and his players are determined to give their all and secure another triumph in the tournament.