The Pharaohs of Egypt came from behind to earn a dramatic 2-1 win against Morocco after extra-time , in Sunday’s quarter-final tie at the AFCON 2021.
Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah inspired the seven-time African champions to the win after scoring and providing the assist for the winner.
Following the last win the Pharaohs now hold the record for the most semi-final appearances ever made.
Also Read: Queiroz: Egypt Not A One Man Team
They surpasses Nigeria to reach the semi-finals of the AFCON for the 16th time in its history.
They will now meet hosts the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon in the semi-final on Thursday.
This is Egypt’s first semi-final appearance since the 2017 edition.
By James Agberebi
Got what it Takes?
Predict and Win Millions Now
47 Comments
Sad just goes to show call your best legs all the time.. Yeye Naija Mcthew!!!
Senegal is showing it too. When it comes Crunch time the Big players always Show up.. Let Nigeria keep fooling themselves with mumu political interference and Stupid injection of mediocre players all in the name of promoting a yeye league that cannot even afford to pay thier players.. Nigeria needs to wake up in all aspects of life we are being overtaking in everything that has to be done as a collective because of greedy personal gains and satisfaction this country is in shambles in all honesty.
SECONDED.
My Brother, sentiments and greed will not permit them. I can assure you NFF, Eguavoen and his cohorts will still start Maduka in march. They never learn, ….hiss. Onuachu will still be paraded, it never ends.
it has been said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly without any success.
The greatest tragedy will be of course that this golden generation would be wasted because we have an inept, clueless, rudderless administration at the football federation. What a big shame!
Is Eguavoen the way to go? I am not convinced, yes the team played with much verve and gusto in the group stages but went out with a whimper in the knockout stage. The same coach that said if he had enough time, he would take ….wait for it ……6 local based players to afcon. Going by the state of the league, that assertion is absurd to say the least. I am really concerned on how we move forward with our football, for all the good work Eguavoen did , he was exposed against Tunisia and it was as a result of the quality of the coaching personnel available to him, particularly the goal keeper coach.
Agu’s judgement as goal keeping coach has been suspect for a while and if we are to move forward, he needs to be excused from team. We all saw how he decided Akpeyi was the best and eventually Nigeria crashed out against Algeria. If you juxtapose Akpeyi’s performance with that of Uzoho against Tunisia in the 3rd place match at afcon 2019, you will agree Agu’s judgement is either very poor or skewed as a result of corruption.
Agu had the opportunity to call adeleye during the many SE friendlies but didn’t , instead he has kept faith with Okoye who has flattered to convince. In over 6 years, the only decent goal keeper we have is Uzoho. Okoye might still come good but he appears not to be ready for the big time. We have wasted 6 years with Agu as coach, it is time to try someone else.
Which Golden Generation do you have?? Lmao!! Nigerians will never seize to put your teeth outside. Which Golden Generation?? The one that could not go past the round of 16 of an ordinary AFCON?? Lmao!! Are the Egyptian players that reached the Semis not the same team we met in the first match??
@Ayphillydegreat, we do have a golden generation, when was the last time we had such pool of talents. Nigeria was adjured to have the best team at the group stage of the afcon. We lost because:
1. Coach was naïve to setup with the same formation and when it became obvious that the team had been stifled, he was clueless to impact the game.
2. In some departments of the team particularly the goal keeping dept, we did not have the right personnel. He called Onyekuru as replacement for Ighalo when he should have called Dessers (boy has been scoring goals for fun).
A Golden Generation is the one that wins something. All we have are potentials not yet a Golden Generation. We don’t have players in top clubs like Senegal or even Ivory Coast. This team is no different from the one that lost to Ghana in 08. Even that team sef is still more loaded than this team. The only thing going for this team is because they’re still a relatively young team that’s why people are thinking they’re a Golden Generation. For now they’re not until they win something.
My friend, what you have is a Very Wide Pool of Average Players….LMAO….. Stop deceiving yourself….
Golden Generation – Iwobi, Akpeyi, Awoniyi, Iheanacho, Ndidi, Nwakali, Onyeka… Golden Generation my foot. Glorified Average Players…….
Chei! SE players, you see your life outside? I do not blame you guys though and i understand where you guys are coming from. They need to prove their worth but we do have potentially great players but selection is where we have head aches.
The coach also did not show dexterity with his team formations.
NFF needs to do better with administration and avoid unwarranted interference.
Fix these issues and SE will conquer all.
@Igbekun Abo Again you see only as far as your nose and are stuck deep into the politicians blind fold. See how you either willingly or unknowingly forget the power we posses. Victor Osimhen, Emma Dennis( Ommitted by Rohr and Pinnick), Victor Moses (ommitted by Pinniuck), Ademola Lookman (Pinnick dragging feet with switch), Calvin Bassey (Stupidly overlooked for Olisa Ndah), Dessers (Stupidly Overlooked for Olayinka) Leon Balogun (granted Injured). Then the likes of Chukweze, Ndidi, Iheanacho, Iwobi Nwakali, Aribo, Onyeka,Ejuke and so on. Let me tell you these are all talented young boys who are gems… so yes A couple injured but others stupidly left out and over looked for mediocre players…
We have talents @Aphiliythegreat and @Igbekun Abo,try look further than your nose I say again. Having a Victor Moses to Call upon and Emma Dennis ina tight game is not a bad idea…
Even Eguavoen calling on Sadiq late was proberly a bad Idea looking back he should have called him up instead of Olayinka
Try to look inside your nostrils Ugo then maybe you will realise that all the other players you mentioned are just glorified Average Players too. How many of your Nigerian players last played in the UEFA Cup or Champions League final? How many of them have lifted a major league title in Europe recently? Only Nigeria fans overhype their players…
You also forget that the AFCON is a shopping ground for Big Clubs via Major Scouts at the event. What good does it do taking Average players to AFCOn that will only remain Average afterwards where as if we take our best legs? for expamle a Calvin Bassey who would not have allowed the calamity Aina did in the lead up to the Tunisia Goal. we would have gone deep and probably still be in the competition now. Meaning big clubs would probably have signed him already Mid table EPL clubs are circling him. Had it been he was taken to AFCON who knows a Man U or Chelsea would have come for him or contacted him by now as he is considered the Star defender at Rangers even with Leon Balogun there. Same goes for Emma Dennis had hi not been Overlooked by yeye so called Guardiola Rohr. On the Flip side Sarr just scored in the quarters his profile will increase after AFCON.same with Burkina Faso Man City and Big Clubs are circling their Right Back now. point of the story all these countries will overtake us now going forward because of Corrupt Officials Going for Personal gain instead of Putting SE back on the map. Why do you think countries like Senegal and the other Countries went so far ahead of us now it is because of the calamity and bribe taking that was happening in the SE post our 2013 AFCON glory including Mediocre players in SE for more talented players causing our Top Players as of the time to miss out on 2 AFCONS back to back. Keep deceiving yourself while Nigeria and SE keep going down a Rabbit Hole because of Pinnick and Buhari and so called yeye Sports Minister. Again Michael Olisa is a good Example He will choose Algeria and they will field him Why? Because Algeria is not the bane of Algeria’s existence.
The Super Eagle of Nigeria had the potential to rule Africa but due to greed and personal ambition of Nigeria Football Federation officials and technically inferior Coach like Equaveon the Super Eagle crashed out of the tournment I don’t think he deserves to be a technical director Nigeria has many competent people who can head the NFF and are ex players not power hungry politicians with no vision for football.
So far in this tournament Carlos Quiroz has deployed 3 different tactics on their way to the Semis. Same with Cameroon and Senegal. They’re not playing TikiTaka or ‘Sexy’ football. They’re playing reactionary football where the team play in a coordinated unit and their superstars make the difference when it mattered most like Abubakar, Mane and Salah are doing. It’s very important for a sound coach to know the strength and weaknesses of his team and then try to play to their strengths and mix things up when things go awry. We depended on a certain way of playing, but when it matters we couldn’t find an answer. Nigeria surely need a good head on the technical bench against Ghana.
In the real world you’ve got to think on your feet to survive. More so with soccer that’s so fluid and almost cannot be held down. Soccer has no room for unidirectional tactics or even no tactics at all: “go express yourselves, dear.”
Eguavoen did ask the players to express themselves with a strong tactical approach. Eguavoen did the right thing. The players like Iwobi were just perverse in interpreting his instructions.
@Igbekun Abo you are clueless Why not clamor for the right players and shut your mouth so you think it is easy to carry a club like Spartak Moscow on your back and finish head in a group with Premier League Giants Leicester City and Seria Giants Napoli???? also this same player Victor Moses was the reason we won the Afcon in 2013!.. Also was it not Lookman who banged a goal against an Inform Liverpool that had Salah and Mane on the field 2 weeks before Afcon oh wait what about Dennis banging in goals for fun in the lead up to AFCON would it not have made sense to have him in the Afcon with that form so fresh in his leg..
Why not use your brains for Once in the lead to a tournament and support the clamoring of inform players and not your Mediocre Ahmed Musa and co only to come later on and cry like a baby and pint fingers at a Midfielder whose job it is to deliver the passes to the finishers. That is your problem confusionist then you will point fingers at Gems so they will be dropped for your Mediocre clowns only for the Disgusting pattern you and your cohorts create before any tournament to repeat itself SMH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!..
Let me tell you the sooner you stop clowning around the better then you will advocate for dropping Chukwueze or Emma Dennis for a Nwobodo only to achieve WHAT??? Crying like a mumu baby afterwards
Mind you Moses Just turned 30 Meaning in Footballing terms he still has a lot to offer yet you support bringing a 33 yr old Odion Ighalo back ahead of Victor Moses. All because he is from the same tribe as you NONSENSE and Tribal Bull SHIT!!!!
My friend you had better shut your trap because you and your type are the main reason our coaches think their poor judgement in player selection is right.
@Igbekun Abo get your head out your Nose!!!!!!! Please you and your cohorts need to stop Confusing things Majjority of Nigerian Fans are as much to blame as NFF and Sports Ministry because you clamour For the Most Average players it is sickening… We need Quality in SE if we are to compete PERIOD!!!.. Drop the Trash and take the Gems I am really sick of some of the nonsense I read here and the players some of you clamor for….. Sadiq Umar and Shit like that when all we needed was Ademola Lookman, Michale Olisa, Emma Dennis and Victor Moses to sweating that team and cause Havoc in AFOCN as we had V09 pull out and rightfully so. PERIOD!!!!!!!.. Maybe Dessers jury still out in my books on the guy..
When we clamour for quality we will get Quality results I don’t care if the Coach is from Mars!!!!!!!!!!!!…
AGAIN AHMED MUSA IS NOT FIT TO CAPTAIN A SUNDAY LEAGUE TEAM LET A LONE THE NATIONAL TEAM OF A COUNTRY. DISGUSTING IN MY BOOKS ABSOLUTLEY DISGUSTING!!
My brother you get time replying some attention seekers looking for 2 mins of fame on CSN. I don’t argue with people who have never played the game in there life. Maybe playing table soccer thinking its actual football. There was nothing wrong in our game. There was nothing tactically wrong with the approach to the game. What we lacked was the aggressiveness that we needed to stamp our presence in the game. You have some mumu saying we went out in the round of 16. Didn’t the same coach win bronze like the white master he has been worshipping.
Na your generation be Mumu. So because he won bronze before and then regressed to getting knocked out in the round of 16 is progress?? Na Ogun go kill you there. Why commenting on my thread when you have no time to argue? A topic that’s become old new is what the idiot is still seeking attention from. Lmao!! Like I said Na Ṣango go use your blood take shower las las. Useless Lizard.
While we are at it let’s read this.
https://mobile.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/SportsArchive/Former-Nigeria-trainer-Gernot-Rohr-wants-Black-Stars-job-1457407
You guys blaming the coach like he instruct iwobi to commit such a school boy foul ,are you telling me we won’t have score with 11-11 to end the 90minutes? I Ben with short 1, we still creat load of chances, soccer is a game where you win or loose, so let’s stop the blaming game guy and move forward, I still stick with cerezo anyways.
The buck stops with him. When you star player has been marked out what do u do as a coach?
Eguavoen did mix it up a bit against Tunisia, people just fail to spot it. We lost that match just because of the incompetence of so called golden Generation players. A so called world class DM in Ndidi was beaten hopelessly… Is that Eguavoen’s fault. A world class best Goalkeeper of Holland league Okoye was beaten by a long range shot. If not for a goal mouth clearance by Ndidi in the first half, Nigeria could have gone down to a goal. Then world class Alex Iwobi the great got himself foolishly sent off. These foolish players undermined what Eguavoen was trying to achieve. Even under Jose Mourinho, these same players would have crashed out of the tournament if they had made such elementary errors. Look at Sadiq Umar, an absolute waste of space. He had a chance to score at the last minute only to waste a glorious chance.. is that Eguavoen’s fault? People lay all the fault at Eguavoen but fail to acknowledge how incompetent many of the players were on that day. That Ndidi had 2 excellent chances to score a long range effort but played the ball like a pregnant woman. Is that Eguavoen’s fault too? Eguavoen had his tactics spot on against Tunisia but the players were useless.
I’m really surprised no one is talking about that Sadiq’s miss lol. Just because he threw one incomplete stepover, people forgot that he had a great chance to pull Nigeria level Tunisia never got that type of chance. All their two attempts (on target) were from outside the box.
All valid, but at end of the day the buck stops with him!
My brother, where was Aribo? Where was Chukwueze? All those players failed to show up against Tunisia. The formation was spot on from Eguavoen. The best any coach can do is set up the team. It is left for the players to express themselves. Those players were shit against Tunisia. Eguavoen set them up well. The approach was great from Eguavoen.
So who picked these players?
That is where I fault Eguavoen, for pinning his hopes on a bunch of overrated average players.
@Golden Child; you are on point ; brilliantly said ( I really don’t fancy Eguafon, but he surprised me with his wonderful performance irrespective of being knocked out in 2nd round).
We are pained because of the superlative transformation of the team at the group stages against expectation particularly with our experience in the recent past where SE played a very boring and unconvincing games, and unpredictable under the erstwhile Coach Rohr who if even his team scored 4 goals to nothing, was never a guaranteed that he would ended winning such game , plus his team playing either slim wins or draw and even loosing ; then talk of no one day preparation for a team he picked just few days to a big tournament and surprisingly raised our hope .
The goalkeeper error or quality cannot be put on him because Eguafon just inherited Okoye as N0 I without any time to try a new goalkeeper ( Aloy Agu is demon , corrupt and even not qualified for a goalkeeper in his life time that never played outside Africa Nigeria) .
@Ayphillydegreat; you have a point , but I can assure you we have avalanche of talented players and forget about the tactics of Tunisia or Egyptian coaches ; if I may ask , what tactics did Egyptian coach changed with Mo Sallah when Eguafon beat them when even Rohr had written them off ahead of the game ?
The only opportunity Egyptian coach has over Eguafon is one , he had adequate preparation, just came back from Arab competition and most importantly have learned from his mistakes after loosing to Eguafon’s team ; this opportunity Eguafon never had , as he won all his 3 games, not even one single draw unlike other teams .
Kel performance that his combination with Taiwo Awoni have been nightmare to opposing team , as in alternative to wing plays of Mosses Simon was shadow of himself because of yellow card he picked just immediately the game started , ordinarily, when a player get yellow ( coach would replaced him so as not to pick second that will send him off , but you will agree with me , it would have been too early for Eguafon to remove Kel who was one of his top performers),
When Eguafon tried to change tactics , to play through midfield, he brought in Nwobi only for him to walk straight into red card of the poor officiating ( haba , Eguafon is not a miracle worker, what formation would you have expected from him again ?
Then talk of school boy error of the goalkeeper which I don’t want to lay much emphasis on because Okoye did not made himself SE N0 I choice , besides , we need to protect him considering his age so that he will not loose his confidence; if Okoye is not needed today , he would still be useful for SE in future because age is very much on his side .
This is not to say Eguafon does not have his own error or weaknesses or blame too , as he also unexpectedly fell in for same error that Rohr was known with in his dying day , like wasted 2 slots for John Noble and Igahalo when Amoo and Dessers should have been called up . I only hope he has learnt his lesson because I am never his fan
Chelsea star Hudson-Odoi agrees to play for Ghana against Nigeria in world cup qualifier play off.
Guys, Ghana FA is seriously working and preparing for success against Nigeria.
NFF have you followed up on the switch of Lookman, Olise, Eze? What about calling Victor Moses, Dennis, Bassey, Alhassan, keeper Adeleye & other few shot stoppers, Samuel Kalu, Dessers, et al., ???
NFF start now, no time wasting. We need to be at the World cup by November, 2022.
Get us these players without any monetary condition;
Arrange friendlies in the next FIFA window where the Coach can assess some of these players in camp and try out different tactics…. Pls, pls pls!
Shalom!!!
That is a serious nation, they are on their way up. They have noticed their weaknesses and are working to remediate their lacklustre performance at afcon. For Nigeria, no coach (at least officially), no progress with lookman & ejaria switches. They have no plan to integrate dessers nor amoo in the team.
They are bent on sticking with Okoye and are not willing to change things in that department.
Next FIFA Friendly window will determine if they have learnt from their mistakes.
They are also on the brink of getting an ex EPL coach in chris hughton.
You guys tears will take a longer time to dry because it is self inflicted injury.
You guys would have allowed Rohr to continue, then if he fails you bring in your local 4-4-2 coach. But you guys were in a hurry to play tiki taka ended only in group stage. Why did we sack Rohr only to be complaining now. He knew how he was managing those boys.
Egypt and Senegal were slow just like Rohr eagles, but see where they are now.
No wonder the bible says the battle is not for the swift or strong.
Thanks @Marvelous for your observation.
Rohr wouldn’t have won three games in the group stages but would have qualified and progressed much further in the competition.
His rigid and tactical switch to match different opposition may not have guaranteed beautiful football but victory as the team progresses to the medal stages of the Afcon.
The super eagles ouster should be blamed on Sunday Dare.He masterminded the sack of Rohr he made sure that happened before the Afcon he knew the consequences he mentioned it that they will have to look at history as how it affects the team without its head coach on the eve of a tournament.
Yet he hit the hammer regardless what happens,he was so desperate so selfish to execute his decision not minding the consequences as it affects millions of football crazy Nigerians.
That man solely is the problem we are having in Nigerian sports today.His continued stay in office will further bring more miseries to Nigerian sports.
He is manipulating Pinnick because of his reliance on government for funding.
Dare’s closeness to the president as an executive member gives him much power to cause all sorts of damage,getting the president’s backings and knowing the president likes indigenization not minding if it’s good or not.
It’s important we know the source of our problems.
The next phase of his disaster is practically coming very soon.
Apparently,he has made it clear to Pinnick he wants a mixture of npfl players in the future as we name our squad list.That practice would have started with the Afcon had we had more time,Eguavoen mentioned his regrets of not adding a few home based players to his Afcon squad owing to time or closeness to the competition,that statement from Eguavoen is a confirmation of Dare’s master plans.
Unfortunately,he gets his ways because of the support he gets from the presidency and Pinnicks reliance on government for fundings.You may want to ask what’s the point of having that many sponsorships if they still have to fall back on government for funding?
Anyone heard from deo since the super eagles crashed out? Please check on a bro.
Super eagles have rendered the English of so many people useless.
Football is more than verbal analysis. Those guys wouldn’t have sack at edge of an important Afcon and world cup play off, but many fans who speaks better english and know verbally about football didn’t see it that way. They decided to too the part of a clueless minister known as Dare.
Thanks Monkey Hunter. I am alive and well. Thanks for the concern. Let’s wish the Super Falcons great success for February’s assignments and the Super Eagles great success for March’s engagements.
The Afcon is gone, let’s hope the NFF learns the lessons they failed to learn in 2010, 2002, 1999 and 1998.
Good to hear from you my brother.
And I used to see you as one of the more intelligent one Marvellous. I guess initial appearance can be deceptive.
You see, I have been very consistent. I, along with AY, Pompei and many other contributors at the time kicked against the sacking of Rohr.
Yes I wasn’t a fan of his brand of football but history (and common sense for that matter) teaches us that sacking a coach so close to a major tournament is a recipe for disaster.
However, as the NFF in thier infinite wisdom elected to part ways with Rohr, I decided not to cry over spilt milk and support my darling Super Eagles regardless of whomever the NFF elects to saddle the team.
My allegiance is to Nigeria, my alliance is to my beloved Super Eagles and this I will maintain come rain come sunshine.
Eguavoen did his best but his best wasn’t good enough. I gave my unbiased analysis throughout the tournament and offered my ‘areas of concern’ throughout. As it so happens, the shortcomings that I identified in the first 3 matches came back to bite the team at the second round against Tunisia.
Now, I wait. There is no match to analyse now. I am currently looking forward to the Super Falcons’ crucial Afcon qualifiers on the 14th and 23rd of February. Thereafter the Super Eagles’ world cup qualifiers on 23 and 29 March.
I have offered my critique on what happened in Cameroon and have since moved on. Unlike many others, I endeavour to refrain from crying over humpty dumpty.
Thanks Marvellous for your loosely veiled message. I received it and have duly responded. I now know you a lot better.
I wish you and all Super Eagles fans great Success post Afcon. It has to start with the NFF and their management of Nigerian football. Because, if they continue to do the same things time and again, it is inevitable: they will always get the same results (failure).
And sadly, narrow minded, shallow thinking fans will then start blaming other innocent fans for the failings of the NFF.
Additionally, the Sports Ministry too have to take a long hard look at itself.
Bro, no one marked out no body. Simon still had a chance to draw SE level but drew a point blank save from the keeper.
Unar had a gilt edged chance to score but missed
Truth is we lost because we were meant to lose on that day.
Tunisia had only 2 shots on target all game..we had over 5 even playing a man down.
I read someone said we dont have players playing UCL finals or top league winners. I ask again; aside SALAH, can anyone mention any EGYPTIAN player (starter) in any clubside of the stature of RANGERS, TORINO, VILLAREAL, PORTO, LEICESTER, UNION BERLIN ETC?
What about the Burkinabes and Cameroonians in the other semi?
Aside TOKO EKAMBI, ZAMBO ANGUISSA, Chuopo Moting BERNARD TRAORE…can anyone name any player from any clubside of the stature of those SE I mentioned??
Infact MOROCCO had more high profile players in top clubsides than the PHARAOHS who dumped them out.
Football has always been about the TEAM that turned up on a particular match. That accounted for a HURRIEDLY assembled holidaying DANISH team shocking a star studded GERMAN MACHINE in EURO 96, same applied to Mexico 86 (we may argue about the insanely talented DAM), EURO 2004 with Greece stunning Portugal, AFCON 2013..SE defeated CIV and the MOHAMMED ABOUTRIKA inspired back to back to back EGYPTIAN AFCON triumphs at the expense of star studded CAMEROON (I hope am corect), GHANA and IVORY COAST!
When its said that Nigeria is finished, some would be fighting because they are simply in denial of the visible facts. As the spiritual controls the physical, its obvious we are lacking spiritually..no matter how good the players are, as long as they are grouped in the name of Nigeria, soccer fans who love Nigeria would always be heart broken. Its simply not gelling spiritually but we are busy pretending.
mind my words egypt will play senegal 3 times between now and next month ,final and 2 world cup qualifier.
The one that wins the Afcon will not make it to the world cup.