Rabat – The much-hyped group clash between the Mohammed Kudus-led Ghana and the Mohamed Salah-led Egypt lived up to the pre-match fuss with a 2-2 draw that complicated round of 16 qualification for both teams.
While much of the game looked tepid without exciting moments or scoring opportunities between two teams that respected one another, the two continental giants did seem to play with energy and determination put to rest lingering doubts from their respective failed opening games.
Touted to be the two leaders of their group, Egypt’s Pharaohs and Ghana’s Black Stars came into tonight’s game needing to avoid a defeat that would make matters complicated for their legitimate aspirations of reaching the knockout stages.
But this defining clash between Group B’s most highly ranked teams soon turned into a nightmare for Egypt as they lost their Liverpool talisman and captain Mohamed Salah to injury at the 45th minute. Soon after, Kudus compounded the misery of a Salah-less Egyptian side by dancing through their defense to score the evening’s first goal.
As the first half ended with Ghana leading 1-0 and Egypt playing without its word-class captain, it was tempting to expect the Black Stars to grow more dominant into the game and eventually succeed in their pre-match objective of making up for their shock 2-1 defeat to Cape Verde in the first match.
But Egypt soon regained their composure and technical prowess as they entered the second half with the thought.
Now playing with more conviction and confidence, Egypt managed to score a 69th minute equalizer courtesy of the impressive Omar Marmoush.
But the in-form and constantly dangerous Kudus restored Ghana’s lead two minutes later with another powerful shot that took a slight deflection as it flew past the Egyptian goalkeeper, Mohamed El Shenawy.
Refusing to be defeated, however, Egypt held Ghana to a draw once again with striker Mostafa Mohamed scoring an equalizer.
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In their first game, Egypt was held to a 2-2 draw by Mozambique. The hard-charging Mozambican team actually came dangerously close to defeating the seven-time African champions, but Mohamed Salah’s last-minute spot kick salvaged a crucial one point for the AFCON’s most successful national team.
The Black Stars of Ghana, who are now on a dipsiting run of six AFCON games without a win, look in trouble in a shockingly tough Group B. With only 1 point collected out of six possible, Ghana will now have to muster a statement victory in their final group match against Mozambique to hope to qualify to the round of 16 stages.
Similarly, having underperformed and even disappointed by collecting only two points in two games, Egypt will go into their final game needing a victory to qualify to the next round.
This means both Egypt and Ghana will be keenly watching tomorrow’s clash between Cape Verde and Mozambique while hoping for a result that can be good for their respective qualification chances.
Yet whatever happens tomorrow between those two teams, the final group games will not be the expected walk in the park for the teammates of Salah and Kudus.
