Champions Egypt off to winning start

Defending champions Egypt defeated Nigeria 3-1 in their opening Africa Cup of Nations Group C match at the Ombaka Stadium here on Tuesday.

Egypt coach, Hassan Shehata, said some inspired second-half substitutions helped his team to a deserved victory.

“The substitutions paid dividends,” said the former Zamalek striker.

The veteran manager added: “The victory over Nigeria is just the beginning, we still have a long way to go and so we still need our fans’ genuine support and prayers.”

Striker Mohamed Zidan said: “We didn’t give up. I think we deserved the victory.”

Nigeria coach, Shuaibu Amodu, said his team paid the price for some schoolboy errors.

“We played well and controlled the game especially in the first half but somehow we made some silly mistakes and we were punished,” said a miserable Amodu.

Skipper Joseph Yobo said had they sustained their first half performance, they would have recorded maximum points.

“We started well and got a goal but they came at us and equalised, they also scored early in the second half to unsettle us.

“Had we come out in the second half as we did in the first half, we would have won this very difficult game,” said the Everton defender.

The six-time champions brought to an end a 33-year-old winless run they have endured against the west Africans and, most importantly, gave them a head start to progress to the knockout stage of the tournament.

Against the run of play, Nigeria took the lead after 12 minutes through the exciting Chinedu Obasi, who powered home a left-footed rocket of a shot from outside the box beyond a diving goalkeeper Essam El-Hadary.

Emad Motaeb drew Egypt level in the 34th minute when he got to the end of a quick counter attack initiated by Wael Gomaa and skipper Ahmed Hassan to round goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama and slot the ball into an empty net.

Skipper Hassan gave the champions the lead in the 54th minute when he thundered home a blinder past Enyeama from outside the 18-yard box.

Substitute Mohamed Nagi completed the demolition job on Nigeria in the 87th minute when he drove home a pile driver for the third goal to the delight of the noisy, 32,000-strong crowd.

Before that Zidan should have extended Egypt’s lead on the hour mark when all alone with Enyeama inside the box, but he blasted wide.

Hoffenheim striker Obasi, a late inclusion in the Super Eagles squad to Angola, was at the heart of several Nigerian attacks against an Eyptian team missing key stars like Mohamed Aboutrika, Mohamed Barakat and Amr Zaki through injury.

Zidan would have put the defending champions in front after seven minutes but his final shot sailed over the bar with goalkeeper Enyeama beaten.

And immediately after Obasi’s stunning opening goal, Said Moawad would have drawn Egypt level but he sliced his final effort off target.

On 23 minutes, Borussia Dortmund striker Zidan again threatened the Nigerian goal but his low shot screamed into touch to the relief of Enyeama.

Yakubu Aiyegbeni had a penalty appeal refused by the referee from Mauritius, Rajindraparsad Seechurn, in the 20th minute after Egyptian defender Mahmoud Fathalla handled the ball inside the box.

And moments later, Kalu Uche fired wide from inside the area.

In the 33rd minute, leftback Taye Taiwo launched an ambitious attack down the left wing before pulling back for Kalu Uche, who failed to hit the target.

It was a miss Nigeria would rue as, moments later, Egypt countered for Al Ahly striker Motaeb to score the equaliser as the Pharaohs finished the first half the stronger of the two teams.

In the second half, Egypt continued to create chances with Zidan troubling the Nigerian back four again and again, while at the other end, goalkeeper El Hadary kept out whatever Nigeria could produce as the champions showed they cannot be taken lightly in Angola.