Egypt does not have attractive football like Morocco or Nigeria but knows how to take advantage of the crumbs given to do great harm. Against the dominant Ivorians, the Pharaohs dived three times (3-2) on their first three shots on target of the match to validate their ticket for the semi-finals of the CAN.
It all started with Omar Marmoush who only needed four minutes to shake the net and put his team in a very comfortable position. On a dangerous loss of the ball from Franck Kessié, Emam Ashour launched the Manchester City player in depth, who played Kossounou before calmly adjusting Fofana.
And even if they did not have control of the ball (31% possession in the 30th), the Egyptians hurt a second time on a remote controlled corner from Salah on the head of Rabia (32nd).
The defending champions thought they could make Egypt falter by reducing the score just before the break (40th) on a CSC from Ahmed Abou El Fotouh, then by scoring the 3-2 goal from a corner concluded by Guela Doué (73rd). But even with these two goals conceded, the Egyptian defense managed not to falter once again and to contain as best it could the countless rises of the nugget Yan Diomandé (19 years old).
Mohamed Salah in history
The celebration was total for Hossam Hassan’s men since Mohamed Salah also shook the nets. Author of four goals in five matches, the captain of the Pharaohs is having a very solid tournament to try to win his first career CAN.
The Liverpool player just needed to push the ball into Fofana’s cage after a wonderful outside cross from Emam Ashour (52nd) to put his team away. A goal with great meaning since he became the top scorer in the history of his country in the history of the CAN, tied with Hossam Hassan (11 goals).
In the semi-finals, the 33-year-old striker will meet his former teammate with the Reds, the Senegalese Sadio Mané. Enough to promise a rather special reunion.
