DOUALA, Cameroon —
Mohamed Salah got back
among the goals for Egypt on Saturday as the record seven-time champions beat
Guinea-Bissau after Nigeria secured their place in the last 16 of the Africa
Cup of Nations.
اضافة اعلان
Salah’s first-time finish at the back post in the
69th minute in Garoua got his and Egypt’s campaign in Cameroon up and running
after they had lost 1-0 to Nigeria in their opening Group D game.
However, Guinea-Bissau were left fuming after a
stunning 82nd-minute strike by Mama Balde was ruled out following a VAR review.
Carlos Queiroz’s Egypt, who also hit the woodwork
three times, now need only draw their last group game against neighbours
Sudan in Yaounde on Wednesday to guarantee safe passage to the last 16.
“It was a really tough game and we were a little bit
lucky with the foul,” Salah admitted to broadcasters.
“We have to win our next game now to make sure we
qualify and we will do our best to go as far as we can in the tournament.”
Salah, who had not scored in any of his previous six
appearances for Egypt this season, struck the post with just 84 seconds played
and Mostafa Mohamed hit the same upright later in the first half.
The Liverpool star finally broke the deadlock midway
through the second half when he met Amr El Solia’s floated ball to the back
post with a first-time cushioned volley that beat Guinea-Bissau goalkeeper
Jonas Mendes.
Substitute Zizo also hit the woodwork for Egypt
before Balde’s superb strike into the far corner was ruled out by the referee
on review for grappling defender Omar Kamal to the ground.
The small west African nation of Guinea-Bissau are
appearing at their third straight AFCON having never qualified before 2017, but
they are left still searching for their first win at the tournament after eight
attempts.
Super Eagles cruise
In contrast, continental
powerhouse Nigeria secured qualification for the knockout phase thanks to a 3-1
win over Sudan earlier at the same venue in northern Cameroon.
With former Super Eagles star Augustine Eguavoen in
temporary charge after last month’s sacking of German coach Gernot Rohr,
Nigeria stuck with the same line-up that defeated Egypt.
Villarreal’s
Samuel Chukwueze struck in the third
minute and the three-time winners scored a second goal in slightly fortunate
circumstances on the stroke of half-time.
Captain William Troost-Ekong’s header ricocheted off
a Sudan defender and then the head of Taiwo Awoniyi and squirmed in under the
goalkeeper.
Moses Simon added a third right at the start of the
second half, with Walieldin Khidir converting a consolation spot-kick for
Sudan.
The Super Eagles are now certain to top Group D
meaning they will stay in Garoua — close to the border with the Nigerian state
of Adamawa — for a last-16 tie against a third-placed side on January 23.
“To be a champion you should be ready to play
against any team, so any team that comes our way, we’ll be prepared,” said
Eguavoen.
The matches in Garoua, home of leading Cameroonian
club Cotonsport, attracted larger crowds than have been seen at most Cup of
Nations matches, with the requirement to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19
and provide a negative test appearing to put many fans off attending in the
football-mad country.
On Sunday reigning champions Algeria look for their
first win when they play Equatorial Guinea in Douala after the Ivory Coast face
Sierra Leone in the same Group E.
A Tunisia side missing a raft of players due to
positive coronavirus tests take on Mauritania in the coastal town of Limbe
after Gambia face Mali at the same venue.
Ghana striker
Benjamin Tetteh has been handed a three-game ban after punching an opponent
during a mass brawl at the end of Friday’s 1-1 draw with Gabon.
Tetteh took a swing at Gabon’s Aaron Boupendza and
was later shown a red card by the referee.
The ban means he will not be able to play again at the tournament
unless Ghana reach the semi-finals.
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