Staff Reporter.
Egypt needed a late Mostafa Mohamed goal to beat Guinea 1-0 as the the two sides began their 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaigns.
Earlier on Sunday both Ghana and Tunisia had to settle for draws away from home in their second games of the qualifiers for 2023 finals.
Tunisia were held goalless in Botswana while Ghana drew 1-1 against Central African Republic, in a match played in Angola due to a lack of suitable stadiums in CAR.
Elsewhere on Sunday Malawi managed to hold on for a 2-1 win over visiting Ethiopia while Madagascar and Angola ended in a 1-1 stalemate.
Egypt dominated the first half of the Group D encounter in terms of possession but could not find a way past Ibrahim Kone in the Guinea goal.
The Malta-based keeper made saves from a Mahmoud Hamdi El Wensh header and then tipped over a free kick from Stuttgart’s Omar Marmoush.
After the break Kone saved another free kick from Mohamed Salah and then saw his defence scramble the ball away.
Guinea’s Thierno Barry and Amadou Diawara of Roma will feel they should have done better with shots from the edge of the area that they put wide of the target.
The Pharaohs, playing in front of just a few thousand fans in the Cairo International Stadium, thought they had taken the lead on the hour mark but it was ruled out for offside.
With both sides struggling to make a real impact the only goal of the game came from substitute Mohamed in the 86th minute, the Galatasaray forward’s shot deflected off debutant Mouctar Diakhaby’s leg past Kone.
In Sunday’s other opening Group D game Malawi began with a 2-1 win over Ethiopia in Lilongwe.
Malawi led 2-0 at half-time thanks to two penalties from striker Gabadinho Mhango, Ethiopia’s goal also came from a spot-kick which was converted by Abubeker Nasir.