AFCON 2023: Salah-shorn Pharaohs lose to Ethiopia

AFCON 2023: Salah-shorn Pharaohs lose to Ethiopia

 

The Pharaohs of Egypt without their talismanic captain Mohamed Salah suffered a two-nil defeat to hosts Ethiopia in a 2023 AFCON Group D qualifier on Thursday in Addis Ababa.

Salah, who played during their hard-fought victory over Guinea, failed to participate in Pharaohs’ second in Addis Ababa due to injury.

Two goals in the first half from Dukele Dawa and Shimeles Bekele helped Ethiopia secure its first victory in the AFCON qualifiers.

Egypt started better and created the first scoring chance on goal via a free-kick in the third minute. The Ethiopians grew into the game and started creating better chances by the 15th minute.

Ethiopia protested vehemently for a penalty in the 16th minute and three minutes later, Ahmed had a chance on goal from a close range but was saved by goalkeeper Mohammed Abou Gabal.

Ethiopia, after several attempts, finally had a breakthrough goal from Dukele’s strike in the 21st minute. Abubeker Nassir dribbled past Mahmoud Alaa, and his low cross was pounced on by Dawa Hotessa who turned it past Gabal in the 20th minute.

Ethiopia had a goal ruled out for offside in the 34th minute but five minutes later Shimelis Bekele found a way to beat Abou-Gabal for Ethiopia’s second.

Egypt failed to conjure a shot on target in a dismal first half.

In the second half, the Pharaohs’ struggles continued with pressure to overturn the two-goal deficit conceded in the first half.

Two minutes into the second half, Egypt’s joy was cut short after the referee disallowed the goal for an infringement.

The Walia Ibex continued to prod for the third goal by putting pressure on the Pharaohs but they could not. The Egypt team was also shorn of

The Egyptians put in some effort in the last 15 minutes of the game and eventually got their only shot on goal which was saved by the Ethiopian goalkeeper as they return to Cairo empty-handed.

The result means that all teams in Group D of AFCON qualifiers are all tied on three points each after two games.

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