2019 Total African Cup of Nations(AFCON) began on a brighter note as hosts, Egypt recorded a slim 1-0 victory against Zimbabwe in the opening fixture of the African Cup of Nations, AFCON, which kicked off in the Egyptian capital Cairo on Friday.
The Zimbabweans had their goalie Edward Sibanda to thank for thwarting the initial Egyptian inroads even as the Brave Warriors also carved out moments of brilliance threatening the hosts during exchanges. Eventually the deadlock was broken in the 41st minute with Mahmoud “Trezeguet” Hassan taking advantage of some sloppy Zimbabwean defending. Hassan weaved through with a brilliant solo move and then easily hit it past Sibanda’s left.
The hosts dazzled viewers across the continent with a stunning light show, using a model of the Pyramid on the field. Football fans described the ceremony as world class and better than Fifa World Cup opening ceremonies.
When the highly -anticipated game between Egypt and Zimbabwe got underway, the Pharaohs found it difficult to get past visiting keeper Edmore Sibanda, with Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah was busy down the right of Egypt’s wing.
It’s quite common for an opening match at a major tournament to not quite match the entertainment value of the opening ceremony before it, and Friday’s game in Cairo was no exception.
The opening 10 seconds seemed to threaten a walkover, when Zimbabwe goalkeeper Edmore Sibana and center back Teenage Hadebe almost colluded to concede possession in front of their goal for no good reason. But Sibana was then able to leap into action several times in the first 10 minutes, settling himself down ready for what would turn into an excellent performance for the underdogs.
Always the center of attention when playing for Egypt, Mohamed Salah was hardworking and incisive all night, forcing Sibana into several saves. However, it was Egypt’s other main attacking presence, Mahmoud Ahmed Ibrahim Hassan (far more commonly known as Trezeguet, the nickname his youth coach gave him), who broke the deadlock. Trezeguet cut in from the left and fired a right-footer into the corner shortly before the break.
Egypt thus secure three important points at the first opportunity, as the first ever Africa Cup of Nations to take place in June and July gets underway.
Even starting at 10 p.m., temperatures were still close to 30 degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit) at kickoff. The match was preceded by a colorful display heavily laden with ancient Egyptian imagery. The mandatory fireworks were accompanied by giant pyramids on the pitch, a pink sphinx, people dressed in ancient Egyptian garb, and more than a few themed nods to the nickname given to Mo Salah in Liverpool: The Egyptian King.
Zimbabwe appeared slightly better in the second half, with Egypt failing to mount any threats. However, the record seven-time African champions will be content to bag all three points and edge close to a place in the last 16. Defensive midfielder Tarek Hamed and central defender Mahmoud Alaa stood out for Egypt, with the latter winning the man of the match award on his competitive debut.
Egypt next face DR Congo on Wednesday before meeting Uganda in their last Group A match on 30 June. Uganda and DR Congo meet on Saturday.
