Daily Advent Nigeria

Egypt 2-0 Congo DR: Salah stars as Pharaohs join Super Eagles in round of 16

Egypt 2-0 Congo DR: Salah stars as Pharaohs join Super Eagles in round of 16

Egypt joins the Super Eagles of Nigeria in the next round after defeating Congo D.R 2-0 in their second group game at the Cairo International. Goals from captain Ahmed El Mohamady and Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah gave the Pharaohs the deserved win over the Leopards.

                                                                                                                                                   Photo Credit: Goal

Javier Aguirre sticked with the same starting line up that won their first game against the Warriors of Zimbabwe with Salah leading the frontline alongside Mohsen and Trezeguet once again while Florent Ibenge made a change in his lineup as he prefers Merveille Bokadi over Yannick Bolasie.

 

Both started the game on a bright note as threatened to hit the back of the net so early in the match with the Leopards getting the first shot on target after a wonderful play from Jonathan Bolingi. Congo D.R almost took the lead in the 10th minute after a wonderful delivery from Tresor Mputu which was flicked into the danger area by Bolingi but Marcel Tisserand blasts it off the crossbar, under pressure from a defender.


The Pharaohs got the breakthrough in the 25th minute as their captain Ahmed El Mohamady right footed shot from the centre of the box hit the bottom left corner following a short corner which was played in by the Liverpool man. The short corner from Salah causes a bit of pinball in the 18 yard box, before landing to Elmohamady, who takes a touch with his left foot and pokes it home with the outside of his right foot.

 

Egypt were given a freekick in the 29th minute after Merveille Bokadi was penalised for a bad foul on Trezeguet. Salah got behind the ball and pull a stunning strike that forced a wonderful save from Ley Matampi. DR Congo hit the crossbar for a second time in the first 45 minutes after Antwerp striker Bolingi heads onto the crossbar from eight yards out. It was a good header under pressure and was unlucky not to have gone in.

 

Aguirre’s men doubled the lead two minutes before the end of first half after a brilliant play from Trezeguet to set up Salah. The Turkish based forward runs from his own half nutmegging Jacques Maghoma on the way – and plays a perfect ball to Salah. The Egypt star cuts onto his left foot and then rifles a shot past the keeper at his near post when he was expecting a curler towards the other side, the goal was Salah’s 40th strike for the Pharaohs in 65 appearances.

Egypt ended the first as the best team between both sides with two well taken goals from the team captain and their main man Salah but Congo D.R were unlucky not to have gotten a goal after hitting the crossbar twice in the opening half.

Egypt took off where they left in the second half but failed to create a clear cut chance despite brilliant play from Salah and Trezeguet in the first 15 minutes of play with the Leopards looking dangerous during this period.

Egypt almost made it three in the 67th minute which should’ve been a match-clincher at that moment from Ahmed Hassan Kouka. The ball breaks for him in the box but he blasts it wide of the near post. Arsenal midfielder, Mohamed Elneny was booked in the 69th minute and could’ve have been sent off. It’s a horrible two-footed tackle as he wraps his legs around the dribbling Yannick Bolasie.

 

It wouldn’t have counted but it was a brilliant save. DR Congo striker Bolingi gets a fantastic header onto a right-wing cross which Mohamed El Shenawy keeps out with a diving stop in the 77 minute. The referee has done them both a disservice by blowing his whistle as replay shows that Bolingi didn’t foul his marker. Bolasie almost got on the scoresheet but his effort went wide. It’s a fantastic hit, with such venom, as he curls it around the ball and just past the far post.

Egypt will face Uganda in a deadrubber game but it is an important match for the Cranes as they hope to clinch the next round ticket against the host nation.

Starting lineup for both teams
Egypt XI: Mohamed El-Shenawy; Ahmed El-Mohamady, Ahmed Hegazy, Mahmoud Alaa Eldin, Ayman Ashraf, Mohamed Elneny, Tarek Hamed, Mohamed Salah, Abdallah El-Said, Mahmoud Trezeguet, Marwan Mohsen.

                                                                                                                                                     Photo Credit: Africa Football Daily

Congo D.R XI: Ley Matampi; Djo Issama Mpeko, Christian Luyindama, Marcel Tisserand, Ngonda Muzinga, Merveille Bokadi, Trésor Mputu, Wilfried Moke, Jacques Maghoma, Cédric Bakambu, Jonathan Bolingi.