Egypt implements 'alternative solutions' to Cairo Airport tech disruption – Cabinet    EGP wavers vs. USD in early Tuesday trade    NDB expands to 11 members, raises $16.1bn in 2024, says Rousseff    Egypt, Somalia leaders discuss strategic partnership, counterterrorism in New Alamein    Egypt, UNDP discuss expanded cooperation on medical waste management, human development    CIB finances Giza Pyramids Sound and Light Show redevelopment with EGP 963m loan    EGX closes mixed on July 7th    Egypt calls for stronger central bank cooperation, local currency use at BRICS summit    Egypt's PM, Uruguay's president discuss Gaza, trade at BRICS summit    Egypt's Talaat Moustafa Group H1 sales jump 59% to EGP 211bn    Egypt, Uruguay eager to expand trade across key sectors    Egypt accelerates coastal protection projects amid rising climate threats    Deadly Israeli airstrikes pound Gaza as Doha talks raise hopes for ceasefire    Egypt, Norway hold informal talks ahead of global plastic treaty negotiations    Greco-Roman tombs with hieroglyphic inscriptions discovered in Aswan    Global tour for Korean 'K-Comics' launches in Cairo with 'Hellbound' exhibition    Egypt teams up with private sector to boost university rankings    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Three ancient rock-cut tombs discovered in Aswan    Egypt condemns deadly terrorist attack in Niger        Egypt's EHA, Schneider Electric sign MoU on sustainable infrastructure    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Egypt's EDA joins high-level Africa-Europe medicines regulatory talks    Egypt's Irrigation Minister urges scientific cooperation to tackle water scarcity    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    Egypt's Democratic Generation Party Evaluates 84 Candidates Ahead of Parliamentary Vote    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Cabinet approves establishment of national medical tourism council to boost healthcare sector    Egypt's PM follows up on Julius Nyerere dam project in Tanzania    Egypt's FM inspects Julius Nyerere Dam project in Tanzania    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Going up
Published in Ahram Online on 17 - 11 - 2020

With two games remaining, Egypt now has eight points, tied with Comoros but ahead on goal difference. Kenya is third with three points while Togo lies at the bottom of the table with one point.
The first two teams in each group qualify for the 2021 tournament، which will be held in January 2022.
Egypt had won the first leg 1-0 in Cairo on Saturday before beating the Togolese 3-1 on Tuesday in the away match in Lome.
Eighteen minutes into the second leg, Egypt took the lead thanks to a brilliant goal by Mohamed Hamdi Afsha.
Mohamed Sherif added the second at the 33rd minute after an assist by goalkeeper Mohamed Al-Shennawi.
Just two minutes into the second half, Mahmoud Trezegeut netted the third goal to put the game away. Togo defender Yayra Josue scored a consolation goal in injury time.
Going into the first leg African qualifier against Togo in Egypt last week, the Egyptian national football team was hit by the news that star man Mohamed Salah had tested positive for the coronavirus and that he would miss the game. The news came as a bit of a shock as Salah was the only player to test positive from Egypt in addition to two Togo players. What made it worse was the fact that Egyptian coach Hossam Al-Badri had no other option but to win the game to ensure hopes of reaching the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in January 2022 in Cameroon.
The Pharaohs started strongly and nearly scored inside the first two minutes through Zamalek forward Mustafa Mohamed who chested the ball down inside the box and took a shot at goal that was blocked by Togo defenders.
Egypt nearly took the lead in the 22nd minute when Zamalek duo Ahmed Sayed, also known as Zizo, and Mohamed combined well as the latter's powerful header hit the crossbar much to the dismay of the national team's bench.
Egypt kept searching for the vital goal with Mahmoud Trezeguet firing a shot from the edge of the box straight into the hands of Togo goalkeeper Malcolm Barcola. A minute later, Mohamed unleashed a powerful long-range effort that went high and off target, the last effort by Al-Badri's men in the first half.
Egypt finally managed to break the deadlock in the 53rd minute of the game through an unlikely goalscorer, defender Mahmoud Hamdi or El-Wensh.
Midfielder Abdullah Al-Said's very clever set-piece evaded everyone to reach Arsenal star Mohamed Al-Nenni at the back post who put it into the path of an unmarked El-Wensh, who headed home the opening goal of the game and his first ever for Egypt.
The game in general was very boring and the performance of the Egyptian side was extremely worrying given that they were playing against the weakest opponents in the group and were made to work very hard to win the game.
Despite the win, the Egyptian Football Association announced it had filed an official complaint to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) because of what it said were the costly refereeing errors during the Togo game. Egypt had two clear penalty claims turned down by the referee in the match. “The EFA sent a letter to the CAF including their fears over referees' errors during the games that could affect the federation's efforts,” read a statement by the association. The EFA also confirmed in their letter to the CAF the “absence of refereeing justice during the game against Togo”.
“The unjust decisions by the referee may come because of CAF's orders not to use VAR (video assistant referee) during this round of qualifiers, so we are worried about future refereeing decisions during Egypt's national team's away games,” the statement added.
At any rate, Al-Badri's men collected all three points from the game and will be hoping to seal their qualification by defeating Togo in the second leg.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 19 November, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly


Clic here to read the story from its source.