Egypt and Algeria engaged in a fiercely contested stalemate in the United Arab Emirates on Monday, setting the stage for their final tune-up before the upcoming African World Cup qualifiers scheduled for next month.
In this contest, Egypt concluded the game with only 10 players on the pitch due to defender Mohamed Hany’s early ejection with a direct red card just 26 minutes into the match.
The Pharaohs seized the lead shortly after the one-hour mark when Hamdy Fathy scored, registering his second goal in two consecutive games during this international break in October. In the final moments of injury time, Islam Slimani secured a draw for the Desert Warriors, ensuring that the eagerly anticipated clash between North African rivals ended in a shared outcome.
Both teams have now shifted their focus towards the upcoming African World Cup qualifiers scheduled for the next month.
Right from the start, the Desert Warriors applied significant pressure on the Egyptian team in an attempt to gain an advantage. Nevertheless, Egypt’s resolute defense effectively repelled the Algerian offensive maneuvers. As the match unfolded, the Pharaohs reestablished their control, led by captain Mohamed Salah, who orchestrated the game and kept the Algerian defenders on high alert.
A perilous strike on goal by Mahmoud Hassan Trezeguet was brilliantly saved by the Algerian goalkeeper, while Salah’s lofted shot narrowly missed its mark, rebounding off the crossbar.
The pivotal moment occurred in the 26th minute when Hany’s reckless challenge on Ahmad Touba resulted in his ejection with a direct red card.
Surprisingly, Egypt’s performance hardly suffered as they maintained their pace and continued to assert their dominance in the match.
In the 61st minute, Hamdy Fathy’s header at the far post, following a well-executed free-kick and an assist from Ali Gabr, granted Egypt a hard-earned advantage.
However, the Pharaohs failed to capitalize on crucial opportunities to further solidify their lead, with Mostafa Mohamed and second-half substitute Omar Marmoush missing clear-cut chances.
As the game approached its conclusion, Algeria heightened their pressure, and their persistence paid off in the 93rd minute. An unmarked Slimani leaped above the defense to head in a precise cross from Youcef Atal, securing a late equalizer.
