Fit-again striker Ahmed Belal scored a hat-trick to help Egypt humble Kenya 5-1 and reach the Nile Basin tournament final. Belal, who rediscovered his goalscoring form this season with Smouha, played the whole 90 minutes of the match and put in a promising performance. However, the former Ahli hitman squandered a couple of clear-cut scoring opportunities in the game at Petrosport Stadium. Sayed Hamdi hit Egypt's second strike on 22 minutes while veteran defender Wael Gomaa netted a rare goal shortly afterwards. Kenya's key figure Kevin Omondi scored the consolation goal for his side midway through the second half when Egypt were taking a three-goal lead. Egypt forward Shikabala produced one of his finest displays. He was instrumental in supporting the frontline most of the time. The Pharaohs will face Uganda, who surprisingly downed Congo 1-0 earlier on Friday, in the friendly competition's final on January 17th at Ismailia Stadium.
Egypt Dominance Egypt's dominance was quite obvious throughout the match and it was soon translated into goals. The first chance fell to Belal right after the kickoff when he volleyed a Shikabala pass high over from inside the area. Mohamed Abou-Treika then tried his luck from distance but his low shot was anything but threatening. Thirty-year-old Belal broke the deadlock on 13 minutes when he combined well with Shikabala. Shika sent an inch-perfect long pass which an unmarked Belal latched onto in the area to release a powerful low drive that went past the keeper and into the net. Sayed Hamdi doubled Egypt's lead in a similar manner when he was fed by Amr Al-Sulaya, while a clever Shikabala dummy tricked the Petrojet man's challengers.
Hamdi could have completed a brace later but his header was competently palmed by the keeper. Kenya were once again made to pay for their sloppy defending when a cross from Ahmed Samir Farag found Gomaa, who barely had to move to divert it home five minutes from the half-hour mark. Hassan Shehata's men clearly eased off after the third strike, which gave Kenya the chance to show some goal menace. Omondi could have reduced the arrears late in the first period with a curling effort but was denied by the woodwork. Egypt expectedly remained in control during a less eventfull second half while their opponents kept trying to make the most of their half-chances. Eventually, Omondi pulled one back with a follow-up effort from close range in the 66th minute. Belal tucked home 20 minutes from time after reacting quickly to a goalmouth scramble. He completed the hat-trick right before the final whistle when he lifted the ball over the keeper's head and into the net after a fierce Hosni Abd-Rabou shot deflected off the bar.
