Nigeria coach, Gernot Rohr, has said they were handed tough opponents in the group stage of next year’s Africa Cup of Nations.
The 68-year-old admits he wanted to avoid the Egyptians.
The Super Eagles will also face Guinea Bissau and Sudan in Group D.
Rohr told ESPN: “We have a tough group. Egypt, everybody knows and everybody wanted to avoid. But they are with us, it is okay.
“Sudan also. They have a French coach, a friend of mine, who did a good job since he arrived there, coming out from a difficult group. Also, Guinea Bissau is not easy.
“I would like to win against the first two teams, and then I can bring in the third game, as I did in the last Afcon, the substitutes, and give rest to our starting players from the first two matches.
“If we win the first two matches it is not a problem, we are qualified and then we can change our team. But of course, nobody will be underrated, and we are not afraid of anybody.
“I think that the most important is to start well the competition. We will be very, very well prepared. We need to be ready for this first match against Egypt in Garoua.”