Match ends, Egypt 1, Zimbabwe 0.
Africa Cup of Nations: Hosts Egypt beat Zimbabwe in first game of tournament
- From the section African
Hosts Egypt made the ideal start to the Africa Cup of Nations by beating Zimbabwe in the opening game of the tournament in Cairo.
Mahmoud Trezeguet scored the only goal of the game with a curled finished just before half time.
Liverpool forward Mo Salah came close to doubling his side's lead in the second half but his low drive was kept out by Zimbabwe keeper Edmore Sibanda.
Ovidy Karuru had Zimbabwe's best chance with a 30-yard strike late on.
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This year's tournament is the biggest Africa Cup of Nations ever with 24 teams, and the first to be played in Europe's summer.
It got off to a spectacular start, with the fans inside the 75,000 capacity Cairo International Stadium treated to an eye-catching opening ceremony that featured giant pyramids on the pitch, elegant dancers forming the shape of a pharaoh's face and culminating in a huge fireworks display.
But the game itself failed to match that level of sparkle, with Egypt dominating for large periods without troubling Sibanda in the Zimbabwe goal often.
Salah was a lively presence in the first half but put a number of efforts wide of goal and while he did manage to get one shot on target before the interval it was a routine save for Sibanda.
Just as Zimbabwe were enjoying their best spell of half, Egypt took the lead. A neat one-two allowed Trezeguet to break into the box before cutting inside his marker and then despatching a clinical effort into the far corner.
From then on Egypt were comfortable rather than dominant.
Salah forced a decent save out of Sibanda midway through the second half after being picked out by Trezeguet's defence-splitting pass.
The Liverpool man then raced through just before full time but was this time denied by substitute goalkeeper Elvis Chipezeze, who had come on for the injured Sibanda with 10 minutes to go.
The win puts Egypt top of Group A, which also contains DR Congo and Uganda. Those two sides face each other on Saturday at the same ground.
Egypt need to improve - analysis
BBC Arabic's Mohamed Qoutb at the Cairo International Stadium:
Fireworks were abundant before kick-off but Egypt netted only once in the first half. The Pharaohs could have scored very early on but afterwards the pace of the game declined gradually but it was crucial for the morale of fans and the players to get to half time with the lead.
However, Trezeguet's goal didn't give the boost to the performance that was perhaps expected in the second half. The team looked even slower and lacked the rhythm needed to create a threat to the Zimbabwe goal.
In the end it was an important but unconvincing win for the hosts with lots of areas for improvement. Meanwhile, Zimbabwe's performance should give them hope of competing for a place in the second round.
Line-ups
Egypt
- 16Mohamed El-Shenawy
- 3El Mohamady
- 20Alaa Eldin
- 6Hegazi
- 12Ashraf
- 8Hamed
- 17Elneny
- 10Salah
- 19El SaidSubstituted forWardaat 71'minutes
- 7TrézéguetSubstituted forEmadat 81'minutes
- 9MohsenSubstituted forSoliman Saidat 60'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Razek El-Shenawy
- 2Morsy El Mohamady
- 4Gaber
- 5Mohamed Ghazal
- 11Soliman Said
- 13Mansour
- 14Ali Kamel
- 15Hamdi
- 18Hassan Mahgoub
- 21Emad
- 22Warda
- 23Abdel Rehim
Zimbabwe
- 1SibandaSubstituted forChipezezeat 80'minutes
- 2Darikwa
- 6Mudimu
- 15Hadebe
- 5Lunga
- 17MusonaSubstituted forChawapiwaat 85'minutesBooked at 88mins
- 8Munetsi
- 18Nakamba
- 11Billiat
- 10Karuru
- 23MushekwiSubstituted forRusikeat 81'minutes
Substitutes
- 3Phiri
- 4Pfumbidzai
- 7Chawapiwa
- 9Rusike
- 12Dzingai
- 13Chipezeze
- 14Kadewere
- 19Mutizwa
- 20Mahachi
- 21Kamusoko
- 22Mhlanga
- Referee:
- Néant Alioum
- Attendance:
- 73,299
Match Stats
Home TeamEgyptAway TeamZimbabwe
- Possession
- Home59%
- Away41%
- Shots
- Home16
- Away11
- Shots on Target
- Home9
- Away2
- Corners
- Home7
- Away2
- Fouls
- Home11
- Away10
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, Egypt 1, Zimbabwe 0.
Tarek Hamed (Egypt) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Talent Chawapiwa (Zimbabwe).
Hand ball by Khama Billiat (Zimbabwe).
Attempt missed. Khama Billiat (Zimbabwe) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Tendayi Darikwa with a cross.
Foul by Nabil Emad (Egypt).
Marvelous Nakamba (Zimbabwe) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt missed. Evans Rusike (Zimbabwe) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Talent Chawapiwa with a cross.
Booking
Talent Chawapiwa (Zimbabwe) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Ayman Ashraf (Egypt) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Talent Chawapiwa (Zimbabwe).
Attempt saved. Mohamed Salah (Egypt) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Walid Soliman with a through ball.
Substitution
Substitution, Zimbabwe. Talent Chawapiwa replaces Knowledge Musona.
Substitution
Substitution, Zimbabwe. Evans Rusike replaces Nyasha Mushekwi.
Substitution
Substitution, Egypt. Nabil Emad replaces Trézéguet.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Substitution
Substitution, Zimbabwe. Elvis Chipezeze replaces Edmore Sibanda.
Delay in match because of an injury Edmore Sibanda (Zimbabwe).
Attempt saved. Ovidy Karuru (Zimbabwe) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Khama Billiat.
Substitution
Substitution, Egypt. Amr Warda replaces Abdallah El Said.
Attempt missed. Marshall Munetsi (Zimbabwe) right footed shot from more than 35 yards misses to the left. Assisted by Ovidy Karuru.
Corner, Egypt. Conceded by Teenage Hadebe.
Trézéguet (Egypt) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Ovidy Karuru (Zimbabwe).
Corner, Egypt. Conceded by Edmore Sibanda.
Attempt saved. Mohamed Salah (Egypt) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Trézéguet.
Attempt missed. Marshall Munetsi (Zimbabwe) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Divine Lunga with a headed pass.
Foul by Mohamed Elneny (Egypt).
Tendayi Darikwa (Zimbabwe) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Substitution
Substitution, Egypt. Walid Soliman replaces Marwan Mohsen.
Delay in match because of an injury Edmore Sibanda (Zimbabwe).
Foul by Marwan Mohsen (Egypt).
Edmore Sibanda (Zimbabwe) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt saved. Marwan Mohsen (Egypt) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Ahmed El Mohamady.
Attempt blocked. Nyasha Mushekwi (Zimbabwe) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Khama Billiat.
Attempt blocked. Ovidy Karuru (Zimbabwe) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Khama Billiat.
Foul by Ahmed Hegazi (Egypt).
Khama Billiat (Zimbabwe) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
