A Mohamed Salah early strike moved Egypt closer to a first World Cup appearance since 1990 as they recorded a 1-0 victory over Uganda Tuesday night.
The Pharaohs reclaimed control of Group E in the African qualifiers to the 2018 Fifa World Cup with nine points from four matches and have boosted their chances of booking a spot in Russia.
As both sides chasing an early goal in a near-capacity crowd in the 85,000-seat Borg El Arab Stadium in Alexandria, it was the hosts who were quick off the mark with Salah netting from a rebound in the sixth minute after goalkeeper Denis Onyango initially denied him from close range.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0fxviyAgYM
Egypt created most of the chances only to be regularly thwarted by Onyango, the 2016 Africa-based Footballer of the Year.
The Cranes fought hard for an equaliser and almost grabbed one, but Nsibambi’s effort from a header in the 83rd minute was too feeble to cause problems for veteran goalkeeper by El-Hadary.
Back in the lead of Group E, Egypt will next host bottom team Congo in October and visit third-place Ghana in November and two victories will ensure they qualify.
Earlier in the day, Thomas Partey scored a hat-trick while Richmond Boakye-Yiadom bagged a brace as Ghana kept faint hopes of a fourth straight World Cup appearance alive with a 5-1 spanking of Congo in Brazzaville.
Egypt, the two-time World Cup campaigners, have nine points after four rounds, Uganda seven, Ghana five and Congo just one.
