Egypt secured a 1-0 victory over Zimbabwe in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) Group A match at the Cairo International Stadium in Egypt on Friday.
As a result, the tournament hosts got off to winning a start in the continental competition, while the Warriors succumbed to a narrow defeat.
The Pharaohs dominated the match from the start and Edmore Sibanda was a busy man in the Warriors goal-posts.
The South Africa-based goalkeeper cleared two dangerous balls from Mohamed Salah which were played in the Zimbabwe box in the opening stages of the game.
Sibanda then made two decent saves to deny Egypt duo Abdallah El Said and Salah as pressure mounted on the Zimbabwe defence.
However, the Warriors looked dangerous on the counter-attack and they had a chance to score through Khama Billiat.
The Kaizer Chiefs forward was sent through on goal from a quick free-kick, but he was brilliantly denied by Mohamed El Shenawy in Egypt goal-posts.
Zimbabwe were left to rue that missed chance as Egypt took the lead through Trezeguet, whose full name is Mahmoud Ahmed Ibrahim Hassan.
The Turkey-based attacker beat his marker, before firing past Sibanda to make it 1-0 to Egypt in the 41st minute heading into the halftime break.
The Pharaohs continued their dominance after the restart, but they were frustrated by Sibanda, who was having a good match.
The experienced shot-stopper made two great saves to deny Trezeguet and Salah in the first five minutes of the second-half.
Egypt’s main striker Marwan Mohsen was also denied by Sibanda from close range just before the hour-mark as pressure mounted piled on Zimbabwe.
The Warriors threatened against the run of play with 14 minutes left, but Ovidy Karuru’s long-range shot was well-saved by El Shenawy.
The Warriors suffered a blow in the closing stages of the game as Sibanda went down injured and he was replaced by fellow keeper Elvis Chipezeze.
Chipezeze pulled off a brilliant low save to deny Salah and ultimately, the match ended in a 1-0 victory in favour of Egypt, who contained Zimbabwe in the dying minutes of the game.
Source: supersport.com
