Egypt beat Senegal to have the benefit of the World Cup qualifiers

Mohamed Salah beat his Liverpool teammate Sadio Mane as Egypt beat Senegal 1-0 within the first leg of the World Cup qualifiers to narrowly advance in opposition to Dakar on Tuesday.

The return match between Liverpool’s strikers, six weeks after Senegal beat Egypt on penalties to win their first African Cup of Nations title, made Salah the one objective.

He overcame the offside entice to get a ball excessive of Amr Al-Sawiya’s protection, because it hit the crossbar earlier than the rebound hit the knee of Senegal defender Salio Sis to enter the online to begin his dream after 4 minutes.

However that was all Egypt managed to handle regardless of a capability of 75,000 spectators on the Cairo Worldwide Stadium as Senegal proved extra daring and would nonetheless really feel assured profitable the match on combination and progressing to the World Cup in Qatar.

Mane turned quite a lot of his groups’ assaults and had a superb opportunity eight minutes earlier than the break as a reckless run in protection noticed him open up capturing house, solely to slide on the essential second and see his shot ball large. .

He additionally had an opportunity within the middle of the protection early within the second half however did not make contact with the Egypt protection prolonged.

Senegal stored urgent till the ultimate whistle in quest of an equaliser, an elusive objective, however some determined defenders had been avoided them.

The away objectives regulation continues to be in pressure in African soccer regardless of being not noted of competitors in Europe this season.

Slightly spice within the Golov derby with Ghana and Nigeria tie

Regional rivals Ghana and Nigeria performed a goalless draw within the first leg of the FIFA World Cup play-off in Kumasi on Friday, leaving the showdown large open once they meet once more in Abuja on Tuesday for a spot within the World Cup.

Derby Golov, dubbed the rice dish fashionable in each international locations, failed to provide a lot spice and would go away followers unhappy after the numerous errors and poor choice making that marked the match.

Ghana had quite a lot of possession and possibilities however proved weak within the ending touches.

They solely examined twice goalkeeper Francis Uzuho, ​​who was stopped by a stinging shot from Isahako Fatao within the thirty third minute after which once more within the 71st minute from Muhammed Kudus.

Nigeria’s finest opener was in opposition to Moses Simon 10 minutes into the second half, however he missed the chance to attain an necessary away objective.

Nigeria received a penalty quarter-hour earlier than the top of the match when Idrisou Baba Mohamed touched the ball after he stumbled in his workforce’s penalty space, however after checking the VAR, the referee modified his choice and awarded Ghana a free kick.

Ghana had been taking part in their first match beneath new coach Otto Addo, who took on former Brighton & Hove Albion supervisor Chris Hughton as advisor.

The debuts had been handed to younger Roma participant Felix Ohene-Gyan and 33-year-old former Belgian defender Denis Odoi, who switched sides earlier than the primary leg.

Leicester Metropolis’s Ademola Lookman, who beforehand performed for England on the under-21 degree, made his Nigeria debut instead within the final quarter-hour.

Giroud instantly within the return of France to win over Ivory Coast

Olivier Giroud defied skeptics as soon as once more as he celebrated his return to France by scoring his forty seventh worldwide objective when the world champions beat Ivory Coast 2-1 in a pleasant match on Friday.

Giroud, who has not been referred to as up since his nation’s final 16 exit from the European Championship final 12 months, referred to as off Nicolas Pepe’s opener to maneuver 4 objectives wanting Thierry Henry’s file for France earlier than Aureli Chawamini wrapped up. Successful in harm time.

The Milan striker, who not often disappoints coach Didier Deschamps regardless of his restricted time when he was at Chelsea, was included within the squad after Karim Benzema was injured.

He began alongside Christopher Nkunko as Kylian Mbappe sat on the bench after contracting an ear, nostril and throat an infection earlier this week.

France received off to a shaky begin however as soon as they discovered their groove extra threatened than their opponents as Paul Pogba and Chuamini led the midfield at Stade Velodrome.

Pepe stormed the world and fired a low cross from the close to put up to beat goalkeeper Hugo Lloris within the nineteenth minute when the French protection fell into oblivion.

France wanted three minutes to reply when Giroud got here dwelling from teammate Theo Hernandez to equalize. The Blues stored pushing and Nkunko got here shut within the first half however I noticed him go too excessive.

Nevertheless, they had been rewarded three minutes into additional time when Chuamini netted his first objective in eight video games exterior of Mathieu Guenuzi’s nook kick.

Subsequent time France performs South Africa on Tuesday night time because it continues its preparations to host this 12 months’s World Cup in Qatar.