Egypt’s hopes of making a significant impact as hosts of the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations suffered another setback as they were held to a disappointing goalless draw by Zambia in their third Group A fixture on Saturday.
The young Pharaohs, still reeling from last week’s emphatic 4-1 defeat to Sierra Leone, dominated possession but lacked the clinical edge required to break down a resolute Zambian defence.
This result leaves Osama Nabih’s side with just four points from three matches, having managed only one victory in the tournament thus far – a concerning return for the host nation, who entered the competition with high expectations.
Sierra Leone have emerged as the surprise package of Group A, currently topping the table with seven points from three matches. Their impressive campaign includes two wins and a draw, scoring five goals while conceding just one, giving them a healthy goal difference of +4.
Egypt sit second with four points, but their negative goal difference of -2 reflects their struggles in front of goal and defensive frailties. The hosts have won one, drawn one, and lost one of their three fixtures so far.
South Africa occupy third position with three points from two matches. They’ve managed one win and one loss, scoring once and conceding once for a neutral goal difference.
Zambia remain unbeaten but winless in fourth place, having drawn both of their matches without scoring or conceding a goal. Their defensive solidity has earned them two points thus far.
Tanzania prop up the group in fifth position, having played fewer matches than their competitors.
Despite creating several opportunities, particularly in the first half, Egypt’s forwards were repeatedly thwarted by Zambia’s goalkeeper. Seif El Deen Essam threatened early with a speculative long-range effort that drifted wide after just three minutes.
Ahmed Abdin, Omar Khedr and Mohamed Abdallah all forced saves as the hosts pushed for a breakthrough, but the Zambian backline stood firm throughout the 90 minutes.
Nabih attempted to revitalise his attack after the interval, introducing Mohamed Raafat and Osama Omar from the bench, but these changes failed to provide the spark Egypt desperately needed.
The hosts will now look to finish their group campaign on a positive note when they face bottom-side Tanzania on Friday, knowing that improvement is essential if they are to progress deep into the tournament.
