Teteh Bangura Sierra Leone should expect a stiff test when they meet a new-look Egyptian side in the penultimate match of the African Cup of Nations qualifiers on Saturday, according to striker Teteh Bangura .
Egypt’s U-23 side, who are managed by Hany Ramzy, were assigned the task of playing the last two games in Group G after the senior team virtually lost hopes of defending their Nations Cup title in next year’s edition in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.
Zamalek's newly-signed midfielder and Egypt captain Ahmed Hassan was the only senior player to be called up to Egypt's squad by stop-gap boss Ramzy.
“They might look young but they are very much deadly,” Bangura, who plays for Turkish side Bursaspor, was quoted as saying by Sierra Express Media.
“They are in a build up process and so we should not be carried away of words that they are a young side.”
The Pharaohs, who lie at the bottom of the group, could only collect two points from four games, the results which sealed the fate of coach Hassan Shehata.
Egypt’s managerial seat remains vacant amid ongoing talks with former United States boss Bob Bradley, Colombian Fancisco Maturana and Serbian Zoran Filipovic to take charge of the seven-time African champions.
Sierra Leone held Egypt to a 1-1 draw in Cairo in their Group G opener in September last year.
“For the visitors, they are coming here either for a win or a draw, but it has to be a win for us on Saturday as this will boost our chances of making it to the Nations Cup next year,” Bangura added.
South Africa, who are favorites to reach the Nations Cup, are on top of the group with eight points, two ahead of second-placed Niger and three clear of Sierra Leone.