Egypt eased to a 2-0 win over Benin in their last group-stage match in the Nations Cup to collect all nine points, but the Pharaohs' performance was considered to be substandard. Goals from Emad Meteb and Ahmed Al-Muhammadi in the first period gave the defending champions the morale-boosting victory. FilGoal.com assessed Egypt's players on a scale of 1 to 10. Essam Al-Hadari (7,5): The veteran keeper wasn't sternly challenged. He didn't have to exert huge efforts to keep a clean sheet. Ahmed Al-Muhammadi (8,5): The highly-rated winger was quite energetic along the right flank and was named man of the match. His diagonal cross-come-shot hit the net only after seven minutes. Abdul-Zaher Al-Saqqa (6,5): His display was all-in-all average but didn't make deadly mistakes.
Mohamed Abdul-Shafi (7,5): He plays second fiddle for left winger Sayed Moawad. He proved his worth after creating several scoring opportunities and defending well at the same time. Mahmoud Fathallah (6): the Zamalek defender was relentlessly moving all over the pitch trying to fullfil his defensive duties and also support Egypt's attack, but he still needs improvement. Moatasem Salem (6,5): He wasn't combative in aerial challenges and was clearly slow. His display was acceptable though, given his limited experience on the international stage. Ahmed Hassan (8,5): The skipper was instrumental in helping the frontline. He was restless and his passes were precise not to mention his fierce long-range shots that disturbed the opposition goalie many times. Hossam Ghaly (7): He was far better than his previous game against Nigeria. His passes were more accurate and he stopped showing off his capabilities. Hosni Abd-Rabou (6): The Ahli Dubai ace slightly improved after putting in lackluster performances in Egypt's previous couple of games, but is still away from peak form.
Ahmed Raouf (6,5): His headers were wide of the mark but was energetic upfront. It's fair to say he's still not competent enough to play regularly for the Egyptian national team. Emad Meteb (6): Although he scored the second goal, the Ahli man wasn't at his best. He squandered a host of clear-cut chances and was extremely sluggish in the area. Substitutes: Mohamed Zidan (7,5): His introduction injected zeal in the second half but couldn't make the score-line. He wreaked havoc in the area thanks to his dribbling skills and his passes were all accurate. Mohamed Nagi 'Geddo' (7): The Ittihad star came on as a second-half substitute but couldn't strike late as he did in Egypt's previous three games. His display was consistent though. Abdul-Wahed Al-Sayed (--): He stood between the sticks in the last 15 minutes of the game after replacing Al-Hadari but he wasn't tested.
