Egypt! was defeated 2-0 by Ethiopia in the second round of Group D qualifications for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations on Thursday.
In the absence of Egypt’s first star Mohamed Salah, Egypt conceded two goals in the first half to lose 0-2 to Ethiopia at (Bengu) Stadium in Lilongwe, Malawi. This is Egypt’s first loss in the second match under local coach Ihab Galal.
Dawa Hotesa scored Ethiopia’s first goal in the 21st minute, after a cross, with a shot from within the penalty area.
Ethiopia’s second goal came in the 39th minute, when Shimlis Bekele scored with a powerful shot from within the penalty area that Egypt goalkeeper Mohamed Abu Jabal failed to stop.
The loss was almost more severe in the first half, and the Egyptian team,
which was missing many players, was fortunate on several occasions in light of the Ethiopian team’s complete control and six missed scoring opportunities,
while the Egyptian ranks were disjointed and its defence was easily penetrated, which did not happen. In front of Ethiopia’s goal, any possibility.
Dawa Hotesa scored Ethiopia’s first goal in the 21st minute, after a cross, with a shot from within the penalty area.
Ethiopia’s second goal came in the 39th minute,
when Shimlis Bekele scored with a powerful shot from within the penalty area that Egypt goalkeeper Mohamed Abu Jabal failed to stop.
The loss was almost more severe in the first half,
and the Egyptian team, which was missing many players,
was fortunate on several occasions in light of the Ethiopian team’s complete control and six missed scoring opportunities,
while the Egyptian ranks were disjointed and its defence was easily penetrated, which did not happen. In front of Ethiopia’s goal, any possibility.
Watch the loss of Egypt against Ethiopia’s match with 2 goals!!
Gatush Banum struck the heart of Ethiopia’s midfield
with a powerful ball that was managed by the Egypt goalie in the 20th minute.
When Abu Bakr Nasser managed to pass Mahmoud Hamdi Al Wensh before being singled out by goalkeeper Abu Jabal
to put the ball in the goal and bounce off the post and pass along the goal line in the most dangerous opportunities,
the Egyptian team’s right post denied its Ethiopian counterpart a goal in the 25th minute.
In the 29th minute,
Gebremicel wasted a fourth chance for Ethiopia, hitting the ball towards the right post of Egypt’s goal.
In the 35th minute, the referee ruled that Abu Bakr Nasser was offside when he scored from Bekele’s cross.
After passing the Egyptian defence and being singled out by goalie Abu Jabal,
who knocked the ball away at the last minute before the shoot,
Hotesa missed a third goal for Ethiopia in the first minute of stoppage time in the second half.
Gebremicel exploited Egypt’s defence at the start of the second half and came close to scoring Ethiopia’s third goal
before the Egypt goalie intervened.
Mostafa Mohamed scored for Egypt in the 48th minute,
but the goal ruled out by the referee due to a foul by Mahmoud Alaa on the Ethiopian goalie.
Omar Kamal Abdel Wahed, who hit the left post of Ethiopia’s goal in the 88th minute,
lost an opportunity for Egypt.
In the 72nd minute, Abu Bakr Nasser failed to capitalise on Ethiopia’s opportunity, knocking the ball past the Egypt goal crossbar.
The Egyptians’ second chance came in the 89th minute,
when Ibrahim Adel’s effort saved by the Ethiopian goalie.
Egypt began its career with a 1-0 victory over Guinea at the start of the qualifying campaign last Sunday, under new coach Ihab Galal,
who took over from the Portuguese Carlos Queiroz amid controversy over his appointment.
Egypt’s total frozen at three points after the loss, the same number as Ethiopia, Malawi, and Guinea.
Guinea defeated Malawi 1-0 in the second round of qualifiers, with Naby Keita scoring the only goal.
The Egyptian team will meet Malawi again in the qualifiers next September, in the third and fourth rounds.
Bekele snuck past El-Wensh to sprint onto a threaded pass behind the defence and hammer the ball into the roof of the goal from a tight angle,
with Alaa too late to close him down.
On the stroke of halftime, Abou-Gabal was on hand to thwart Hotessa in a one-on-one,
sparing Egypt’s blushes, who had a complete half to find their feet.
Galal made three replacements before the interval, including midfielder Mohanad Lasheen,
full-back Omar Kamal, and winger Ibrahim Adel, because the first half was so bad.
Despite the fact that Ethiopia eased down after the restart, the Nations Cup runners-up failed to even shift up a gear.
On 88 minutes, Egypt’s sole serious chance fell to Kamal, who deployed as a left-back.
Kamal’s curling shot nearly missed the target after fellow replacement Ahmed Atef chested a long ball on the edge of the area and laid it off for him.
But it was as good as it went for an underwhelming Egypt team,
which will need to find solutions to their numerous problems as soon as possible.
