Benghazi – The national team secured an important 1-0 victory over Mauritania in a friendly match held on Saturday evening at the Martyrs of Benina Stadium, serving as a technical rehearsal in preparation for the upcoming Arab Cup match against Palestine.
Senegalese coach Aliou Cissé told the Libyan News Agency that the match was tough and important, and through it, the team showed positive signs of its technical and physical readiness. He praised the players’ performance and considered the match a real test before the anticipated encounter against Palestine.
Cissé explained the absence of player Ezzeldine Al-Maryami from the starting lineup was due to his late arrival from his club Al-Ahli Tripoli’s match. This provided an opportunity for the young player Al-Bizi, who delivered an outstanding performance. The coach described him as promising and predicted he would have a significant future with the national team.
He also praised the performance of the goalkeepers, confirming the renewed confidence of goalkeeper Murad Al-Wuhaishi and the readiness of Ayman Al-Tihar. He added that the goalkeeping position is now reassuring thanks to the seriousness and strong presence of these players.
Aliou Cissé also touched on his previous experience with the Senegal national team at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, clarifying that this chapter is over and he is now beginning a new journey with the Libyan national team with great ambitions.
He emphasized that the Arab Cup represents an important opportunity to prepare the team, especially if they secure a win against Palestine, as it would provide a strong morale boost.
He affirmed that his primary goal in coaching the national team is to lead the team to the Africa Cup of Nations and to work on developing the players technically and physically to keep up with continental competitions. He noted that the Palestinian team is a strong opponent, featuring professional players in Arab, European, and American leagues, which makes the encounter a difficult challenge.
The coach added that the Libyan team will enter the upcoming match with full seriousness and focus to achieve victory and advance steadily in the Arab Cup.