A successful start for Nigeria, which logically won against Egypt (1-0) after a controlled match on Tuesday, in the shock of Group D counting for the 1st day of CAN 2021.
Strong impression. First group D match of this CAN 2021 in Cameroon, and first shock this Tuesday between Nigeria and Egypt, the two favorites of this group. The partners of Salah, titular like Elneny on the side of the Pharaohs, did not really exist and rather disappointed. It must be said that they fell against an interesting and attractive Super Eagles team, led in particular by a very good Iheanacho and the Nantais Simon, untenable in the left lane of a solid 4-4-2 concocted by Augustine Eguavoen. From the outset, and contrary to what the first matches of this competition have offered so far, the game offered a lot of rhythm and intensity to the spectators of the Omnisport Roumdé Adjia stadium.
Under the overwhelming heat of Garoua, the first (timid) offensive was to be credited to the Pharaohs, through Mostafa Mohamed (5th). But the Nigerians were more enterprising and were more pressing on Egyptians experiencing great difficulty in getting the ball cleanly. It is therefore quite logical that Iheanacho, with a superb volley, gave the advantage to the Super Eagles (1-0, 30th). The score could even have been heavier at the break if Simon (26th) and Awoniyi (42nd) had shown a little more accuracy in the last movement.
Helpless Salah and Egypt
Especially since to make matters worse, Carlos Queiroz lost Tawfik to injury, replaced by Abdelmonem in the 12th minute. Back from the locker room, the physiognomy of the match was the same and the Super Eagles still controlled the debates as much. Nigeria did not go far from surprising El Shenawy again, pushing back a header from Awoniyi on his bar (48th), before seeing the Leicester striker miss his control against the open goal (56th) and fail to frame (66th). The Egyptian doorman stepped up the parades, especially against the incoming Ejuke (76th, 90th + 3), to prevent his family from sinking.
Apart from a parade of Okoye’s foot in front of Salah (71st), in difficulty and well muzzled by the opposing defense throughout the game, the Pharaohs were too rough with the ball in their feet to hope for anything in this meeting. The objective of Nigeria, which has delivered the most consistent performance since the start of the tournament and temporarily takes control of this group D, will now be to confirm this great performance on Saturday against Sudan (5 p.m.). Egypt will challenge Guinea-Bissau the same day (8 p.m.), with the ambition to quickly raise its head and launch its CAN 2021, which had not experienced defeat in a group stage since 2004 in this competition.
