31/12/2025

SPORTS WEDNESDAY | DEC 31, 2025

29

Pharaohs find balance under Hossam

WHEN Hossam Hassan was appointed Egypt coach in early 2024, taking charge of a team largely accustomed to foreign managers over the past decade, serious questions were raised about his credentials. Egypt’s all-time leading scorer enjoys iconic status as a former prolific striker with a glittering playing career, but he had achieved little success as a coach at a handful of Egyptian clubs. Almost two years into his tenure, however, Egypt appear to be heading in the right direc tion. They sealed smooth passage to the Africa Cup of Nations knockout stage with seven points in their group, ending a run of six successive draws across the past two editions of the tournament. Egypt became the first team to reach the last

his players and instilling a fighting spirit, critics questioned whether he possessed the tactical acumen to lead a team of Egypt’s stature. He has answered those doubts with a flexible approach. Egypt qualified smoothly for both the Africa Cup of Nations and the World Cup and remain unbeaten in major competitive matches under Hossam, winning 12 and drawing five. “While a coach who frequently changes his style of play may be seen as lacking a clear phi losophy, the results tell a different story,” said football pundit Ahmed Ezzeldin. “Egypt have become more flexible under Hossam.” – Reuters

respectively, but defeat on both occasions extended the wait for another crown. “Hossam has been an idol for us since we were young. He is a great coach tactically, but he also gives us strength with his fighting spirit,“ winger Mahmoud Trezeguet told reporters yesterday. “In the past period, we had excellent coaches who took us to finals, but this time I feel our spirit is different under Hossam.” Hossam, an animated coach who was once prone to fiery outbursts, has largely kept a cool head in the national job. While he has long been praised for motivating

16, recording victories over Zimbabwe and South Africa before ending the group stage with a goalless draw against Angola yesterday after fielding a second-string side with top spot already secured. Their form has raised hopes that the Pharaohs could finally deliver after years of near-misses and disappointment, as they chase a title they have not won since lifting the last of their record seven trophies in 2010. Argentinian coach Hector Cuper and Portuguese Carlos Queiroz both came close, guiding Egypt to the final in 2017 and 2021

Appollis penalty sends Bafana Bafana past Zimbabwe

Atlas Lions roar

Morocco head coach Walid Regragui (left). – AFPPIC

OSWIN APPOLLIS converted a late penalty to give South Africa a 3-2 Africa Cup of Nations victory over Zimbabwe in Marrakesh yesterday, and qualification for the knockout stage. Bafana Bafana must wait until tomorrow to know who they will face on Sunday in the round of 16. It is likely to be either defending champions Ivory Coast or five-time winners Cameroon. Egypt, who rested

closing minutes instead of seeking a fourth goal. We have to work on controlling games.” Bafana Bafana establish an early foothold when Zimbabwe goal keeper Washington Arubi reacted late to a low shot from Appollis and grasped the ball just before it crossed the line. A minute later and South Africa were ahead thanks to rising star Tshepang Moremi who unleashed a goal-bound shot that took a deflection off Divine Lunga and looped over 40-year-old Arubi into the net. Falling behind motivated Zimbabwe and they deservedly levelled on 19 minutes thanks to the individual brilliance of Tawanda Maswanhise from Scottish Premiership club Motherwell. South African frustrations at being unable to dominate flared just before halftime. Already-cau tioned Sipho Mbule argued with the Moroccan referee, risking another yellow card and a red. South Africa regained the lead on 50 minutes through Burnley striker Lyle Foster. It was the second goal of the tournament for the 25 year-old after his winner against Angola. After soaking up pressure for some time, Zimbabwe equalised on 73 minutes when Aubrey Modiba conceded an own goal. Appollis then netted from an 82nd-minute penalty to give Bafana the lead for the third time, which they retained. – AFP Haidara for that fixture after he received a late red card against Comoros for a dangerous chal lenge. There was little goal-mouth action against the Indian Ocean side, with just three shots on target all game, but Mali got the point they needed to ensure their pro gress. Midfielder Yves Bissouma saw his goal-bound effort saved by Yannick Pandor in the Comoros goal with the best chance of the first half. Comoros were forced forward in the second period as they had to chase the win, and El Fardou Ben forced an excellent stop from Mali goalkeeper Djigui Diarra as his shot looked to be arrowing into the top corner before being saved. – Reuters

Ayoub brace helps Morocco reach Afcon last 16 as group winners A YOUB EL KAABI scored twice as hosts Morocco eased to a 3-0 victory over Zambia at the Africa Cup of Nations on Monday to secure progress to the last 16 as winners of their group. The Olympiakos striker netted

stars like captain Mohamed Salah with first place already assured, topped Group B with seven points after a 0-0 draw against Angola in Agadir. South Africa finished with six points, Angola two

unenviable position of needing to win their last group game to be sure of going through to the knockout phase – a tough task for a country without a single Afcon victory since lifting the trophy in 2012.

in each half in front of 62,532 fans in the capital Rabat, while Real Madrid’s Brahim Diaz got the other goal as he scored for the third match running at the tournament. Morocco finish the first round with two wins and a draw, allowing them to progress from Group A in first place with seven points. Mali finished second after a third straight draw, 0-0 against Comoros in a game they ended with 10 men, while Zambia go out. Walid Regragui’s Moroccan side will therefore have the advan tage of staying in Rabat for a last-16 clash against one of the best third placed finishers on Sunday. “I think the competition really begins now,“ said Regragui. “When you have four third placed teams going through, I don’t think you can call the first round a warm-up lap but for us it just makes it about trying to make sure we get through to the next stage in the best possible shape. “Hopefully we will go as far as possible. That is the dream for all of us.” A comfortable evening for the host nation also saw captain Achraf Hakimi, the African player of the year, come on as a second half substitute for his first appear ance since suffering an ankle injury with Paris Saint-Germain in early November. The Atlas Lions had seen their world record 19-match winning run come to an end in a 1-1 draw with Mali last time out, but bounced back from that by out classing their Zambian opponents. Morocco are Africa’s best side according to the Fifa rankings and lie 80 places above Zambia who are 91st. Their record winning run included victories home and away against the Copper Bullets during World Cup qualifying. The visitors were also in the

and one. Angola could squeeze into the knockout stage as one of the best four third-placed teams. Zimbabwe

Morocco went ahead with just nine minutes on the clock when a corner from the right was played short to Azzedine Ounahi and he clipped a first-time ball to the back post where Ayoub nod ded in before running away cover ing his face in celebration. A superb move led to the sec ond goal just before the half-hour mark, with Azzedine’s fantastic pass in behind the Zambian defence releasing Abde Ezzalzouli. His low ball in from the left was missed by Ayoub but Diaz swept home for a third goal in as many matches. Morocco made it 3-0 six minutes after half-time as Ayoub escaped the Zambian offside trap and met another assist from the brilliant Azzedine with an overhead kick. The goal was initially

“Once again we fell asleep after a good start. We con tinuously lost posses sion,” said 73-year-old South Africa coach Hugo Broos. The Belgian tactician guided Cameroon to the 2017 Afcon title. “Our passing was bad at times and we should have concentrated on retaining possession in the

Mali advance after dull draw with Comoros MALI and Comoros played to a tepid 0-0 draw in their Africa that pool today, but almost certain to be Tunisia. They will be without Amadou

Cup of Nations Group A fix ture in Casablanca yesteray, a result that sends the Malians into the last 16 and elimi nates their rivals from the tournament. Mali finish second in Group A with three points having drawn all their matches, leaving them behind pool winners Morocco (seven points). Comoros finish in third with two points, but their -2 goal-difference means they will not be one of the four best third-place finishers that advance to the knock out stage. Mali will face the runner-up in Group C in the next round, with their opponents to be revealed at the completion of

ruled out for offside before being awarded after a VAR check, allow ing El Kaabi to join Diaz and Algeria’s Riyad Mahrez on three goals atop the Afcon scorers’ chart. A huge cheer then greeted Achraf when he came on in the 64th minute in place of Noussair Mazraoui for his first appearance of the tourna ment – he was only

Morocco’s Ayoub El Kaabi (bottom) celebrates scoring his team’s third goal with teammate Brahim Diaz during the Afcon group stage match against Zambia at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat yesterday. – AFPPIC

p r e - vent ed from get ting on the scoresheet by a good Willard Mwanza save late on. – AFP