Mali 0-0 Egypt
Mali and Egypt played to a goalless draw in a Group D encounter at the 2017 AFCON championship at Port Gentil stadium on Tuesday night.
This was the second group game played on the day following Ghana’s slim 1-0 victory against Uganda.
The two sides played to largely tactical game with both sides pulling off great performances before a lively and passionate crowd.
Egypt was 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 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.
In the second stanza of the game, Abdallah Bekhit curled a beautiful free kick but it was an easy collection for Mali goalkeeper, Oumar Sisoko.
CHAN 2016 graduate Yves Bissouma, now playing at Lille replaced injured Yatabare Sambou on the 65th minute mark to add flavor pace and urgency to the game.
A minute later, Egypt’s Muhammed Ghaly was cautioned by refeee Daniel Frazer Bennet of South Africa following a dangerous foul on Yacouba Sylla, the Mali captain.
Bissouma added colour to the game but all the sides remained tight at the back.
After all the Group D teams having played one game, Ghana Black Stars lead with three points.
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
Changes:
64’ Yves Bissouma replaced Yatabare Sambou
71’ Samba Sow replaced Lassan Coulibaly
Subs Not Used:
Youssouf Kone, Charles Blonda Dit Modibo Traore, Mustapha Yatabare, Kalifa Coulibaly, Moussa Doumba, Mohamed Konate, Soumaila Diakite, Adama Traore, Mahamadou N’diaye, Djigui Diarra
Head coach: Alain Giresse (France)
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
Changes:
24’ Essam ElHadary replaced Ahmed Elshenawi
70’ Ramadan Ahmed replaced Mohamed Ghaly
74’ Ahmed Mahgoub replaced Marwan Fahmy
Subs:
Ahmed Eissa, Omar Gaber, Ibrahim Gad, Ahmed Mahgoub, Ahmed Nouh, Karim Seifeldin, Sherif Ahmed, Saadeldin Ali, Amr Warda
Head coach: Hector Raul Cuper (Argentina)
