Moteab the hero as Egypt recover to hold Ghana

=(Picture)=African champions Egypt stormed back to snatch a 2-2 draw with Ghana Wednesday in a high-profile Cairo friendly ahead of 2010 World Cup qualifiers next month.

Egypt, winners of the previous two editions of the biennial African Nations Cup, are ranked third on the continent and Ghana fourth by world football body FIFA and the Cairo Stadium thriller matched expectations.

Fortune favoured the ‘Pharaohs’ when they took a 40th-minute lead through Middlesbrough midfielder Mohamed Shawky as his shot that rebounded off the crossbar was adjudged a goal when TV replays suggested otherwise.

The ‘Black Stars’ of Ghana, third behind Egypt and Cameroon when they hosted the 2008 Nations Cup, levelled seven minutes into the second half when a cross hit Hani Said on the arm and Stephen Appiah converted the penalty.

Club-less midfielder Appiah also featured in the second Ghana goal with 12 minutes left as goalkeeper Essam al-Hadary failed to grasp his shot and Prince Tagoe tapped home the rebound.

This goal triggered a fiery Egyptian response that paid off six minutes from full-time when Saudi Arabia-based striker Emad Moteab controlled a loose ball and drove past goalkeeper Richard Kingson from close range.

Egypt coach Hassan Shehata started with recalled Germany-based striker Mohamed Zidan, who had been accused of faking injury to dodge World Cup qualifiers last year.

And he introduced Mohamed Barakat, a frequent critic of the coach, for Hosni Abd Rabou 15 minutes into the second half as Egypt sought a second friendly win in as many months having edged Kenya 1-0 at the same venue.

Samuel Eto’o carried his hot Barcelona scoring form into the international arena with two goals as Cameroon triumphed 3-1 against Guinea 3-1 in Evry-Bondoufle near Paris.

Geremi Njitap and three-time African Footballer of the Year Eto’o gave the ‘Indomitable Lions’ a two-goal advantage that Pascal Feindouno halved before the Spain-based star had the final say with an 87th-minute goal.

Struggling Chelsea striker Didier Drogba came to the rescue of Ivory Coast in Turkey, scoring two minutes into stoppage time to salvage a 1-1 draw after Gokhan Unal had given the Euro 2008 semi-finalists an early lead.

Togo overcame the absence of injured Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor, who was crowned 2008 African Footballer of the Year in Lagos Tuesday, to draw 1-1 with Burkina Faso in another France-hosted friendly.

Jonathan Pitroipa gave the Burkinabe ‘Stallions’ a first-half lead that was wiped out 13 minutes from full-time in Petit-Quevilly by a goal from defender Senah Mango.

Mali showed no mercy to struggling 2010 Nations Cup hosts Angola, winning 4-0 in Bois Guillaume through goals from Soumaila Coulibaly, Moustapha Yattabare, Frederic Kanoute and Seydou Keita.

Morocco and Czech Republic failed to score in Casablanca, Tunisia came from behind to hold Netherlands 1-1 in Tunis, Uruguay pipped Libya 3-2 in Tripoli and Mozambique outplayed Malawi 2-0 in Maputo in other matches.