Egypt's Five-Back Formula Sparks AFCON Buzz: How the Pharaohs Stunned Ivory Coast
10 January 2026
Egypt's Five-Back Formula Sparks AFCON Buzz
Egypt's head coach Hossam Hassan celebrated reaching the Africa Cup of Nations semifinals after a 3-2 win over Ivory Coast.
Hassan Explains the Approach and What's Next
In a televised post-match interview, he said he is grateful to the players for carrying out his instructions.
He explained that Egypt plays with a five-man defense, but not in a purely defensive way; there are periods of attacking intensity too.
He added: Any coach in the world tries to innovate and may err, but I trust the players and the backroom staff, and I don't manufacture one fixed system— I look to develop the play as the game unfolds.
He noted that rival teams adopted a five-defender setup after applying it against South Africa, as Cameroon did earlier.
He continued: The players contribute to the success of this approach, and I thank them for following my instructions throughout the match.
He concluded: Egypt plays well and in a disciplined manner, and we managed to reach the opponent's goal.
Egypt had already booked a semi-final against Senegal for Wednesday.
The Pharaohs are chasing the title that has eluded them since 2010.
Punchline 1: If five at the back actually wins games, I might try it on my laundry pile—might finally fold itself into a respectable defense.
Punchline 2: Coaching tip of the day: pretend you know what you’re doing, and hope the whistle agrees with you at the podium.
