Africa Cup of Nations 2024: Egypt and Ghana Draw 2-2 in Thrilling Encounter
Cairo, Egypt – January 18, 2024
In a pulsating clash that kept fans on the edge of their seats, Egypt and Ghana played out a 2-2 draw in their Africa Cup of Nations Group C match at the Cairo International Stadium on Thursday.
The match, which was billed as a potential group decider, lived up to its expectations as both teams traded blows in a see-saw battle.
Egypt, the seven-time champions, started brightly and took the lead in the 15th minute through a stunning strike from Mohamed Salah. The Liverpool forward received the ball just outside the box and unleashed a curling effort that flew into the top corner, leaving Ghana goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi with no chance.
Ghana responded well to the setback and leveled the scores just six minutes later. Andre Ayew, the captain and talisman of the Black Stars, was the architect of the equalizer. He skillfully dribbled past two Egyptian defenders before sending a low cross into the box, which was met by a sliding finish from Benjamin Tetteh.
The second half continued in the same vein, with both teams attacking with intent. Egypt regained the lead in the 65th minute when Amr Warda’s cross found Abdallah El Said, who nodded home from close range.
However, Ghana refused to be denied and once again restored parity just three minutes later. Samuel Owusu, who had come on as a substitute, produced a moment of magic as he danced past two Egyptian defenders before firing a low shot into the bottom corner.
The final 20 minutes of the match were a frantic affair, with both teams pushing for a winner. However, neither side could find a breakthrough, and the match ended in a 2-2 draw.
The result leaves both teams with four points from two matches, with Egypt leading the group on goal difference. Ghana will face Morocco in their final group game, while Egypt will take on Cameroon.
Match Highlights:
- Mohamed Salah opened the scoring for Egypt with a stunning strike in the 15th minute.
- Ghana equalized just six minutes later through a sliding finish from Benjamin Tetteh.
- Egypt regained the lead in the 65th minute when Abdallah El Said headed home from close range.
- Samuel Owusu restored parity for Ghana just three minutes later with a low shot into the bottom corner.
- The match ended in a 2-2 draw, with both teams sharing the points.
Post-Match Reactions:
Egypt Manager Carlos Queiroz:
“I am happy with the performance of my team. We played against a very good Ghana side and we showed great character to come from behind twice. We are still in a good position to qualify for the knockout stages and we will be looking to finish the group stage on a high.”
Ghana Manager Milovan Rajevac:
“I am proud of my players. They showed great fighting spirit and determination to come back from behind twice. We had some good chances to win the game, but unfortunately, we couldn’t take them. We still have a chance to qualify for the knockout stages, and we will be giving it our all in our final group game.”
Mohamed Salah (Egypt Forward):
“It was a tough game, but we are happy with the point. Ghana is a very good team and they made it difficult for us. We showed great character to come back from behind twice, and we are still in a good position to qualify for the knockout stages.”
Andre Ayew (Ghana Captain):
“We are disappointed not to win the game, but we can be proud of our performance. We played against a very strong Egypt team and we created some good chances. We will learn from our mistakes and we will be looking to finish the group stage on a high.”
Full-Time Score:
Egypt 2-2 Ghana
Group C Standings:
- Egypt – 4 points (2 matches played)
- Ghana – 4 points (2 matches played)
- Morocco – 3 points (1 match played)
- Cameroon – 0 points (1 match played)
Upcoming Fixtures:
Group C:
- Morocco vs. Ghana – January 21, 2024
- Cameroon vs. Egypt – January 21, 2024