Egypt’s Football Association sacked national coach Hossam el-Badry a day after the Pharaohs drew with minnows Gabon in a 2022 World Cup qualifier.
“The association decided in an emergency meeting …to thank the coaching and technical staff for their services with the national squad,” the EFA said in a short statement on its social media accounts.
A new coach is expected to be named within 48 hours, the EFA added.
Egypt’s sluggish performance against Gabon on Sunday, in which they needed a 90th minute equaliser to rescue a point, and a laboured 1-0 win against Angola in their previous World Cup qualifier, had prompted furious criticism from disappointed fans on social media.
The Pharaohs’ star Mohamed Salah lined up for the Gabon match after missing the Angola game as his club Liverpool refused to release him because the country is on the British government’s Covid-19 red list of countries and the forward would have been forced to quarantine on his return to England.
Badry, who had been in the job for two years, said he had refused to tender his resignation under pressure from the EFA, forcing them to sack him.
The coach noted the Pharaohs were still top of their World Cup qualifying group with four points and that he had guided them to qualification for next year’s African Cup of Nations in Cameroon.
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.
El-Badry made number of attacking changes, fielding in strikers Moustafa 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.
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