Egypt’s national team secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Sierra Leone in the sixth round of the African qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup at Cairo International Stadium on Tuesday, and move five points clear at the top.
Winger Ahmed ‘Zizo’ Sayed scored the sole goal in added time of the first half.
With this result, the Pharaohs maintain a firm hold on the top spot in Group A with 16 points from six matches, keeping a five-point lead over second-placed Burkina Faso, while Sierra Leone remain in third place with 8 points.
Egypt coach Hossam Hassan opted for a 4-3-3 formation instead of the 3-4-3 used against Ethiopia just four days prior, making two changes to his lineup, which included Nantes striker Mostafa Mohamed and Ahly defender Ahmed ‘Koka’ Nabil.
From the kickoff, Egypt besieged Sierra Leone in their defensive half, yet the front line struggled to convert their dominance into clear chances against the visitors’ well-organized defense.
The Pharaohs’ first significant opportunity arrived in the 16th minute when captain Mohamed Salah received a pass near the area, but his left-footed strike went just over the crossbar.
Six minutes later, Al-Rayyan forward Mahmoud ‘Trezeguet’ Hassan received a precise through ball on the left flank and cut into the area, only to see his effort blocked by goalkeeper Alhaji Sesay.
Despite continuous pressure from Hossam Hassan’s side, Sierra Leone’s robust defense limited clear scoring opportunities.
In the 32nd minute, a well-executed one-two between Salah and Manchester City’s Omar Marmoush set the latter up on the left side of the area, but his right-footed shot sailed over the bar.
Just before halftime, Salah sent a brilliant pass to Trezeguet, who found himself in a one-on-one situation with Sesay but the Al-Rayyan forward failed to control the ball, which was easily collected by the keeper.
As the game progressed, Egypt’s attacking intensity waned slightly, even as they maintained control.
However, Zizo finally broke the deadlock in the second minute of added time, connecting with Trezeguet’s precise pass to slot the ball home with his left foot, marking his fourth international goal in 46 appearances and giving Egypt the lead just before halftime.
Wasted opportunities
The second half began unchanged, with Egypt continuing to pressure in search for a second goal, while Sierra Leone focused on their solid defense and swift counterattacks.
Just two minutes after the break, midfielder Marwan Attia struck the woodwork with a powerful right-footed shot from outside the area.
Salah came close to doubling the score in the 54th minute when Marmoush, making a deep run into the left side of the box, delivered a cross back to him, but Salah’s left-footed shot went wide of the visitors’ left post.
In the 66th minute, a shot from a Sierra Leone striker struck second-half substitute defender Hamdy Fathy on the arm; however, the referee did not deem it a penalty, and the decision stood.
A minute later, Zizo made a fast break into the box, but his cross to Marmoush went awry.
As the match drew to a close, both teams exchanged opportunities, but ultimately failed to find the back of the net, ending the game in a 1-0 victory for Egypt.
Next up for Egypt is a matchup against fourth-placed Ethiopia in the next round of World Cup qualifiers in September.
