Emad Meteb scored a brace as Egypt cruised past Ivory Coast with a 3-1 win on Saturday to clinch top spot in Group A and qualify to the African Cup of Nations quarter-finals. Meteb struck on either side of the interval while Mohamed Abou-Treika added a goal after the hour. Arouna Kone scored Ivory Coast's only goal in the 36th minute. The result means Egypt finished the first round as Group A winners on 7 points to advance to the second round, one point ahead of Ivory Coast who came second on 6 points. Morocco and Libya, who drew 0-0, were eliminated after finishing in third and fourth places respectively. The hosts fielded a strong line-up while Ivory Coast manager Henri Michel opted to rest key-players like Didier Drogba and Kolo Toure after his team secured passage to the second round. Egypt came on strong and opened the score as early as the 8th minute a short corner-kick from Mohamed Barakat to Mohamed Abdul-Wahab found Abdul-Zaher Al-Saqqa at the far post. The Turkish-based defender put the ball in the path of Meteb who headed home at the other post. In the 11th minute, Abou-Treika swiftly exchanged passes with Ahmed Hossam "Mido" before firing a half-volley into the arms of Ivory Coast goalkeeper Jean-Jacques Tizie. Egypt continued to push forward in search of a second goal that would pull the pressure off them.
Goal-scorer Abou-Treika will miss the next game The Pharaohs nearly stretched the lead when Mido sent a cross to the lurking Abou-Treika who headed over the advancing Tizie but into the side netting. Egypt veteran Hossam Hassan made his Egypt 2006 for injured Tottenham striker Mido. Ivory Coast turned the table on the hosts midway through the first-half and put Egypt goalkeeper under continuous pressure. The Ahli guardian pulled off a succession of saves before being beaten by Kone's deflected drive from the edge of the area in the 36th minute. Ivory Coast had to make an injury forced substitution in the 59th minute when reserve goalkeeper Boubacar Barry came in for Tizie who collided with Hassan. In the 61ts minute, Abou-Treika found the net with a first-time volley into the far corner of Barry's goal after an exchange pass between Abdul-Wahab and Hassan set the Ahli playmaker free the area. Abou-Treika's excessive celebrations cost him a yellow card, which means he will miss Egypt's quarter-final game for suspension. Eight minutes later, Meteb completed the rout for the Pharaohs in theatrical fashion after his initial effort hit the crossbar, deflected off Hassan's head and trickled back to him for the easy finish. Ivory Coast hit back with a number of chances but were kept at bay by the resilient Al-Hadari. Egypt will face the runners-up from Group B in the quarter-finals on Friday while Ivory Coast take on Group B winners.
