HT: Mali 0-0 Egypt
The second Group D game at the AFCON 2017 championship being played at Port Gentil stadium is still glued at a goal-less stalemate inside the opening 45 minutes.
It remains a largely tactical game with both sides pulling off great performances before a lively crowd.
Egypt has been forced into an early change when Ahmed El Shenawi’s place was taken by the legendary Essam Elhadary after 24 minutes.
Before that, El Shenawi pulled off a decent save off Molla Wague’s glancing header in the 12th minute.
Arsenal’s midfielder Muhammed Elneny curled over the ball a well laid ball by Mohamed Ghaly in the 28th minute in what looked like the Pharaoah’s best chance of the game.
Crystal Palace’s winger Bakary Sako had a great free-kick into the area that the Egytian defenders forced into a corner. There was a penalty appeal turned down after ball to hand incident.
The resultant corner could have easily been converted but the Egyptian back line was alert.
Lassana Coulibaly missed contact with Bakary Sako’s telling delivery from the left as the first half neared the end.
There is plenty of football to be played for the next 45 minutes.
Team line ups:
Mali XI: Oumar Sisoko (G.K), Hamari Traore, Salif Coulibal, Lassana Coulibaly, Yacouba Sylla, Moussa Marega, Bakary Sako, Molla Wague, Sambou Yatabare, Mamoutou N’diaye, Ousamane Coulibaly
Egypt XI: Ahmed Elshenawi (G.K), Aly Mosaad, Ahmed Hegazy, Ahmed Ibrahim, Tarek Hamed, Mohamed Ghaly, Mohamed Abouzeid, Mohamed Elneny, Marwan Fahmy, Abdallah Bekhit, Mahmoud Hassan
