“It’s a fair result,” Gharib told reporters after the game. “We played a big game against a strong opponent that didn’t lose a single match in the World Cup qualifiers.”

Egypt failed to put an end to their 20-year-long winless streak over Morocco in their African Cup of Nations Group A match in the Cairo Stadium.

The result raised Egypt’s point tally to 4 in second spot of their Group A while Morocco bagged their first point of the group stage to come in third place.

Gharib denied that the substitution of Ahmed Fathi after the interval was due to the player’s lack of form.

“It was a change of tactics. Fathi did his job very well in the first-half, but we wanted to adopt a more offensive approach after the break, so we pulled him out,” Gharib said.

Gharib said that Egypt will face Ivory Coast in the final game of the group stage with the sole purpose of winning.

Egypt need a win over Ivory Coast on Saturday to top their Group A and avoid facing potential Group B winners Cameroon in the second round.

Morocco coach Mohamed Fakhir echoed Gharib’s sentiments that game was fare in its result, noting that facing Egypt on home soil is not an easy task.

Fakhir said that Morocco’s hopes in qualifying to the knockout stages are still alive.

Morocco will face Libya in their final group match, a task that Fakhir believes is relatively easier than that of Egypt.