Franceville, Gabon – Striker Mostafa Mohamed scored in the final minute of stoppage-time to earn 10-man Egypt a 1-1 draw against Gabon in a CAF second-round 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying match at Stade de Franceville Sunday evening.
Egypt tops Group F on 4 points, while Gabon had their first point of the campaign. Angola faces Libya in Luanda on Tuesday.
Jim Allevinah gave Gabon the lead after 73 minutes, shortly after Egypt was down to ten man after Omar Gaber was sent off for receiving a second yellow card. It seemed The Panthers were on their way to a historic win, but for Mohamed’s last gasp equalizer.
It was a cautious start to the game with both sides trying to control possession. Egypt had the first shot on target after 8 minutes when Mohamed Sherif’s backheel pass found Mohamed Magdy “Afsha” who sent a shot just over the crossbar.
As time passed, Gabon started to find more spaces, and had their first chance after 18 minutes when skipper Pierre Emerick Aubameyang tried to find the best of goalkeeper Mohamed el-Shennawy, but his shot went wide.
Guelor Kanga shot from a long range went just wide after 35 minutes. Sherif tried his luck after a swift counter attack for Egypt but his shot was high, as the first half ended goalless.
After the break, Gabon was asking more questions, and five minutes into the second half Aaron Boubendza went one on one with El-Shennawy who brilliantly saved the situation.
Mario Lemina’s header after a corner kick threatened Egypt’s defense but went just wide, as the hosts continued to press.
Egypt hopes had to deal with a blow when Omar Gaber was sent off for a second bookable offense after 70 minutes. And just two minutes later, substitute Jim Allevinah broke the deadlock.
Clermont Foot forward found his way through Egyptian defense and exchanged the ball with Andre Biyogo Poko before sending a low shot past El-Shennawy.
Egypt coach Hossam el-Badry made number of attacking changes, fielding in strikers Mostafa Mohamed and Salah Mohsen trying to find a late equalizer.
And both substitutes combined in the last minute. From a long pass Mohsen’s header found Mohamed, whose initial effort was stopped by Gabon’s goalkeeper Anthony Mizwe, but he followed with a header home to give Egypt a precious away point.
Rwanda and Kenya got the day’s proceedings underway in an East African meeting at Stade Regional Nyamirambo in Kigali.
The Harambee Stars opened the scoring nine minutes into the encounter through Michael Olunga, but the Amavubi took little time to respond and levelled matters through Abdul Rwatubyaye in the 20th minute of the match in what ultimately ended in a 1-1 draw.
The result left both teams winless after two rounds of fixtures and with a mountain to climb if they are to challenge for a place in the third round of qualifying.
A spectacular overhead kick goal from Elmo Kambindu steered Namibia to a 1-0 win over Togo at Stade de Kegue in Lome.
Victory moved the Brave Warriors top of Group H on four points, one ahead of Africa’s top-ranked nation, Senegal, who are away to Congo in Brazzaville on Tuesday.
