Soccer
It's Egypt vs. South Africa in U23 AFCON semi─── 14:14 Tue, 19 Nov 2019
After qualifying from the group stage in style with maximum points, hosts Egypt are looking to secure their place in next year’s Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 when they face South Africa in the Under-23 AFCON semi-final.
This crucial encounter will be contested on Tuesday at the Cairo International Stadium.
It will be a repeat to a recent memory that the Egyptians need to forget. Last July, hosts Egypt crashed out of the 2019 Total Africa Cup of Nations Round of 16 at home, losing to South Africa 1-0 when Thembinkosi Lorch scored late to send his side to the quarterfinals, leaving the hosts shocked.
Three wins from as many games saw the Olympic Pharaohs topping Group A while the public enthusiasm was growing around them every day. A 1-0 opening victory over Mali was followed by an exciting comeback that saw them overtaking Ghana 3-2 in the last minutes. That was followed by a 2-1 victory over Cameroon in the final group game.
Meanwhile, South Africa – who are the only survivor from Africa’s representatives in the latest Olympics in Rio 2016 – reached the semifinals in a different style. Yet to concede any goal, they just scored once but that was enough to see them defeating Cote d’Ivoire 1-0.
Coupled with two goalless draws against neighbours Zambia and holders Nigeria, that was enough to see them finishing Group B in second place and continue their run with a second successive appearance in the Olympics at stake.
Egypt are eyeing their 12th appearance in the multi-sports quadrennial event; an African record. Their last appearance was when they reached the quarterfinals in London 2012.
To do so, coach Shawky Gharib, who himself played in the Olympics back in Los Angeles 1984 will hope his attacking force led by the likes of skipper Ramadan Sobhi and tournament top scorer Mostafa Mohamed are in their finest form on Tuesday night.
On the other hand, South Africa’s coach David Notoane will rely on his side’s defensive capabilities that saw them keeping three clean sheets in a row for goalkeeper Darren Johnson; a feat no other team achieved in the tournament.
He will be hoping his forwards can achieve more than the lone goal Teboho Mokoena achieved from a free-kick in the group stage.
Both sides clashed in the maiden U-23 Afcon in Morocco 2011, when Egypt won 2-0 on their way to a third-place finish. They met friendly twice last month, Egypt won 1-0 and they drew 1-1.
