Afcon Result
Egypt 0-1 Nigeria
Nigeria has sent a strong message to their fans all over Africa they are not about to return home with an emphatic display against the continent’s powerhouse Egypt.
Mohammad Salah’s Egypt were favourites for this fixture after going 16 games unbeaten in the group stages.
The Super Eagles started the fixture with a strong display, outmuscling and outrunning the Pharaohs in the better part of the game.
Leicester forward Kelechi Iheanacho received a headed pass from Joe Aribo and wasted no time blasting it past the Egyptian custodian El Shenawy Mohammed.
Nigeria utilized their pacy wingers to keep Egypt seated back for the entire part of the first half.
Samuel Chukwueze, the Villarreal winger and Moses Simon of Nantes were a constant threat to the Egyptian fullbacks who were forced to play deep, denying their team creativity on the wings.
Moses Simon’s penetrative runs on the left side of the defence, forced Egypt into an early injury and substitution when Akram Tawfik was stretchered off.
Nigeria played high up with Taiwo Awonyi, Iheanacho and Aribo joining Moses Simon and Chukwueze to neutralize Egypt from playing their free flowing football.
Leicester midfield star Wilfred Ndidi ably manned the heart of the midfield and kept threat away from his defence.
Egypt and Mo Salah were denied space to play until Carlos Queiroz introduced tricky Zamalek winger Zizo who brought life into the Pharaohs.
Salah could have leveled matters for his country in the second half but attempts to muscle his way into space and fire home failed when Super Eagles keeper Maduka Okoye responded quickly to the call to pick the ball away from him.
Nigeria will be lucky to get away with a foul on Zizo by Porto defender Zaido in his penalty area. The referee instead awarded a freekick to Nigeria with VAR not involved.
The Super Eagles have sent a message to the rest of the teams in the tournament they are not going to be an easy push with this an unexpected result against Egypt.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trsIZGPzKVQ
Award winning journalist and writer who has worked as a stringer for a couple of acclaimed South Africa based German journalists, covered 3 Ugandan elections, 2008 Kenya election crisis, with interests in business and sports reporting.
