Egypt enjoyed the support of an enthusiastic crowd in Qatar but slumped to a 2-1 friendly defeat by the Gulf state at Khalifa International Stadium in Doha on Thursday. The vast majority of the fans supported African champions Egypt, who let them down with a disappointing display that did little to quell worries over the team's prospects to qualify for the 2012 Nations Cup in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. The Pharaohs, who lie at the bottom of Group G in the Nations Cup qualifiers with one point from two games, are preparing for March's crucial game at South Africa. Uruguayan-born striker Sebastian Soria gave the jubilant Qatar, who were awarded the rights to host the 2022 World Cup earlier this month, the lead on 21 minutes after rounding off a neatly-worked counter attack. Egypt's central defender Wael Gomaa gifted Qatar the second just before the break with an own goal after a mix-up with keeper Abdul-Wahed Al-Sayed. Substitute Walid Soliman pulled one back in the 73rd minute but Qatar held on for their first ever victory over Egypt. Both sides finished with ten men after Ahmed Fathi and Fabio Cesar were dismissed with eight minutes remaining. Cesar made a crude challenge on Fathi, who confronted the Brazilian-born midfielder in retaliation to prompt the referee to send off both players. No Threats Egypt laid siege to Qatar's area in the early stages but hardly threatened Qatar keeper Qasem Burhan. Their only real chance fell to Ahli's off-form playmaker Mohamed Abou-Treika, who was found unmarked by a pull-back from left-sided midfielder Ahmed Samir Farag but his shot was palmed by Burhan. Qatar went ahead against the run of play on 21 minutes after exploiting the gaps behind right wing-back Ahmed Fathi, who was burdened with whipping in crosses upfront and closing down spaces at the back in Egypt's 3-4-3 formation. Mohamed Al-Sayed broke down the left unopposed before crossing for Soria to slot home at the far post. Egypt appeared affected by the like of a recognized striker after ENPPI's Ahmed Abdul-Zaher, who scored in last month's 3-0 win over Australia, sustained an injury in the warm-up. Zamalek's frontman Amr Zaki is nursing an injury while Borussia Dortmund's Mohamed Zidan was not present due to his club commitments, with the Qatar friendly not included in FIFA's international calendar. Bizarre Goal The visitors had a couple of half chances but further went behind following a bizarre own goal one minute before halftime. Goalkeeper Al-Sayed needlessly rushed out to allow a back-pass from Gomaa, who had a glance at the other direction, to roll past him and into the back of the net. Egypt switched to a 4-4-2 formation in the second half following the introduction of the likes of Ahli defender Sherif Abdul-Fadil, Harras Hodoud forward Ahmed Mekki and ENPPI playmaker Soliman. They had the better possession but still struggled to break down a resolute defense. Egypt had a golden chance to restore parity though when Abou-Treika was picked out unmarked inside the area ten minutes after the restart but his right-foot shot was blocked by Burhan. The overlapping Soliman made amends in the 73rd minute when he ran onto a pass from Ahmed Eid inside the area and placed the ball into the bottom corner but Qatar withstood late pressure to emerge winners.
