Sunday, June 30
*Egypt 2-0 Uganda
*DR Congo 4-0 Zimbabwe
Table
- Egypt – 9 points
- Uganda – 4
- DR Congo – 3
- Zimbabwe – 1
Uganda Cranes reached the round of 16 for the first time in 41 years despite suffering a 2-0 loss to hosts Egypt in a game played at Cairo International Stadium.
The Cranes, going down to first half goals by Mo Salah and Ahmed Elmohamedy, finish second of group A thanks to DR Congo who managed to dispatch Zimbabwe in the other group A tie played at the same time.
Sebastien Desabre’s troops played hearts out but were blunt on goal with Farouk Miya, Emmanuel Okwi and Abdul Lumala all missing open chances in an eventful thriller.
Egypt, Algeria, Nigeria, Madagascar, Morocco and Uganda are the confirmed teams that have reached the round of 16 so far.
The Cranes who lost Denis Onyango to injury (replaced by Robert Odongkara), are likely to face group C runners up – Kenya or Senegal.
Egypt were lucky not to concede against the determined Cranes side who will rue missed opportunities. The hosts leave group A as winners with nine points and conceded no goal.
Miya and Okwi were both denied by shot stopper Mohammed El-Shenawy inside the first minutes of the game before the hosts took the lead via Salah’s beautiful freekick.
Lumala went through on goal twice but refused to pass before shooting direct at the keeper on both occcasssions. El Mohammed later doubled the Egypt’s advantage off Ayman Ashraf’s assist at the stroke of halftime.
The Cranes kept pushing in the second half but couldn’t find a breakthrough on goal.
In group B, Madagascar beat Nigeria 2-0 to top the log with seven points, one above Nigeria who settled for second place.
