Egypt end Uganda’s #AFCON2017 journey

Ahmed Hegazy of Egypt and Uganda's Geofrey Massa fight for possession during the Africa Cup of Nations on Saturday. Photo: Chris Ricco, BackpagePix

Ahmed Hegazy of Egypt and Uganda's Geofrey Massa fight for possession during the Africa Cup of Nations on Saturday. Photo: Chris Ricco, BackpagePix

Published Jan 21, 2017

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Group D

Egypt (0) 1

Said 89

Uganda 0

PORT-GENTIL, Gabon – Just when the Cranes thought that they had salvaged a point against the seven-time African champions, which would have kept them in the tournament, second-half substitute Abdallah Said broke their hearts and sent them packing.

Uganda will now make the trip to Oyem to face Mali as a formality, having been eliminated in the group stage of the first Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) they featured in, in almost 40 years.

The Pharaohs finally made a victorious return to the tournament they have failed to qualify for in the last seven years.

They still aren’t a force like they were when they won this tournament three times in a row from 2006 to 2010, but this victory should give them confidence that they can make it to the last eight. The Egyptians need a point from Ghana here.

The Black Stars sit in comfort at the summit, with a place in the last eight already booked at the Stade de Port-Gentil.

But the Black Stars have a score to settle with Egypt, which means that they won’t be giving their fringe players a run – saving the regulars for the quarter-finals.

The Pharaohs beat Ghana in the final of the 2010 edition before handing them another defeat in Alexandria late last year in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers.

The two towering figures in goals, the legendary Essam El-Hadary and the reigning Caf Player of the Year-Based in Africa, Denis Onyango, showed their class in this encounter.

Onyango played the role of being a sweeper-keeper with aplomb in the moments he was forced to quickly come out of his line to stop the danger.

El-Hadary, on the other hand, brought his experience to calm the Egyptian defence that looked shaky if pressed. El-Hadary’s timing kept Egypt in the match.

The oldest goalkeeper to play at the Afcon is part of the four players in the Pharaohs’ squad who have been in this tournament that Egypt last featured in, in 2010.

The Cranes have no such player. The entire 23-man squad are featuring in their first Afcon, having helped their country end a 39-year absence in the continental showpiece.

The Ugandans’ inexperience didn’t show on Saturday night. They gave as much as they received, troubling Egypt with their pace.

But the Egyptians were the more composed, controlling the game better than the Cranes. Fullback Joseph Ochaya pinned the Egyptians back on the right flank. The Pharaohs reacted by using their right flank to penetrate Uganda.

A last-minute goal undid all of that work for Uganda, sending them packing before they had even settled in this showpiece.

* Njabulo Ngidi is in Gabon courtesy of Supersport

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@NJABULON

Independent Media

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