Ivory Coast coach Sabri Lamouchi is not getting carried away with the 4-2 beating his side gave Egypt in a warm-up match ahead of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.
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The Ivoirians came from two goals down to whip the seven-time African champions at their training grounds in Abu Dhabi. Arsenal forward Gervinho scored twice in the match to give the tournament favourites a much-needed confidence boost.
"When you beat Egypt four goals to two, it bodes well. Even if the match that we delivered was not the one I had planned, even if I made a lot of changes and even if we have just come through a ten-day warm-up period," said Lamouchi, the former Monaco player.
"I am focusing on the positives, while at the same time knowing that there are things to improve on," he told MTNfootball.
"We have a week left before our first AFCON match and we have things to review."
Ivory Coast is in Group D with Algeria and Tunisia who are also one-time AFCON winners, and minnows Togo.
Lamouchi has implored his players to make use of what he feels is a golden opportunity to win the competition.
"I have no concerns about the state of mind that we have developed. I am convinced that we are on the right track.
"If this generation is never to win anything, it would be an immense waste! To win the AFCON 2013 is our ambition. I know that my players are capable of it.
"They must take ownership of this project. Because for certain amongst them, this is without a doubt their last opportunity to win this competition.
"I believe in this group," he added, referring to the 2006 and 2012 final where Egypt and Zambia beat the Ivorians respectively via penalties.
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