"Senegalese Head Coach Pape Thiaw said that his players are determined to give their all as they prepare to face 'tournament favourites' Egypt in a highly anticipated semi-final showdown between two of the continent's elite sides at the African Cup of Nations (AFCON). "Tomorrow we will face Egypt, the most decorated team on the continent. They are simply the best team in Africa. We approach this match with respect for our opponent and a determination to secure our place in the final. Our opponent is very strong tactically and is used to playing these kinds of matches," stated Thiaw during a press conference in Tangier on Thursday. "The most important thing is to play this match with determination to get the win, then we'll see what happens. [...] we're going to prepare ourselves to avoid being caught off guard and to fight for a place in the final," he added. Captain Kalidou Koulibaly warned that despite his side going into the match as favourites, record-holders Egypt have quietly gone under the radar at this year's tournament and will count on their vast experience to secure victory. "People don’t talk about them much, but Egypt is going unnoticed, yet they are one of the favourite teams in this tournament. They are rarely considered favourites, but they are making steady progress to get to where they are today," said Koulibaly. The Lions of Teranga, who were last crowned champions of the continent in 2021 (AFCON 2022), will take on seven-time winners Egypt at the Ibn Batouta Stadium in Tangier for a place in Sunday's final against either Nigeria or Morocco."