The Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat was packed out to see hosts Morocco lift the AFCON U23 title. The final was contested by the two best teams in the tournament and we were treated to a very entertaining spectacle. Egypt took the lead thanks to an absolutely phenomenal strike from Mahmoud Saber. However, the goalscorer’s night came to an end only a few minutes later as he received a red card for a poor tackle. After the sending-off, Morocco mostly dominated possession, though Egypt remained a constant threat on the counter. In the 37th minute, The Atlas Lions equalised thanks to striker Yanis Begraoui. From then on, Morocco continued to push for a second goal but the Egyptian defence stood firm and it wasn’t until the 108th minute that Oussama Targhalline clinched victory for the Moroccans, crowning them AFCON U23 champions for the first time.
Ratings:
- A1 – Very good, could play higher
- A2 – Strong potential to play higher
- B1 – Good, strong player at level
- B2 – Potential to be a strong player at level
- C – Average for the level, rewatch
- D – Below average in this match
Ibrahim Adel
Player Profile:
- Position: Left Wing
- Secondary Position(s): Right Wing, Attacking Midfield, Centre Forward
- Nationality: Egypt
- Date of Birth: 23/04/2001 (22 Years)
- Current Club: Pyramids F.C.
- Former Club(s): El Merreikh (Y), Pyramids F.C. (Y)
- Preferred Foot: Right
- Height: 173 – 175 cm
- Contract Expiration: 30 June 2026
Ibrahim Adel was the standout player for Egypt during the AFCON U23 tournament, he caught the eye with his performances on the left wing for an Egyptian side that was looking to defend their title having won the AFCON U23 tournament back in 2019.
Physically you could consider Adel to have a slight frame as he is slim and at about 173 – 175 cm, he is not a tall player. However, do not be fooled by this, Adel demonstrated that he possesses a good amount of strength, which allowed him to hold off his opponent when necessary. Additionally, he is incredibly pacy with bags of acceleration, especially when he receives the ball, throughout the game, Adel frequently displayed a burst of pace in order to break away from the opponent. His speed and stamina meant that he was the ideal player to initiate a press as he was able to close down the defenders often before they had time to think.
Technically Ibrahim Adel showed that he has a very good first touch, he was able to bring the ball under his control effectively. He is confident with the ball at his feet and prefers to run into open space rather than take on his man. When carrying the ball, the Egyptian primarily used the outside of his right foot which meant that his body positioning was optimal so he could execute ultra-quick changes of direction, feints and tricks, and pass the ball accurately over short distances. He showcased that he is able to play line-breaking passes which often brought his teammates in behind the defensive line.
Tactically Adel mostly stayed on the left wing area though he preferred to drop deeper to receive the ball. He would then look to cut into the penalty area once the left back was overlapping in support. He wasn’t able to affect the game as he would have liked once his team were a man down but he was able to demonstrate some good off-the-ball movement which allowed him to lose his marker in order to make himself available as an attacking outlet. Defensively, Adel tracked back throughout and was able to position himself to make interceptions to halt the Morocco attack.
Personality-wise Ibrahim Adel appears to be a conscientious, hard-working individual. He captained the Egypt U23 team in exemplary fashion throughout the tournament. In particular during this game when his team went down to ten men he could be seen communicating well with teammates and ensuring the situation didn’t get out of hand. There were occasions where he became increasingly frustrated and which could have been of detriment to his team but we must consider that this was a final and his team was a man down for a significant period so his frustrations were probably acceptable in this situation.
Rating: A1
Ibrahim Adel is a very good player, certain media outlets have of course touted him as being the ‘most exciting player out of Egypt since Salah’, in all honesty, it’s not hard to see why. He is being linked with a move away from Pyramids F.C. to a plethora of teams in Europe, wherever he moves, he will undoubtedly shine. Ibrahim Adel has all the potential to play at the highest level and be a very important player for a top European club.
Target Scouting 
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