Egypt's will have to wait for a place in next World Cup after they played to a goalless draw against Burkina Faso on Tuesday in Ouagadougou during the eighth round of the African qualifiers. (Photo Credit Pouire service photographie)
Now, Egypt will face Djibouti on October 6, hoping to secure its World Cup spot. Currently, Egypt leads Group A with 20 points, which is five points ahead of second-placed Burkina Faso.
They need just one point from their next two games to secure a spot in the tournament. Coach Hossam Hassan used a different strategy by setting up a strong defence with five defenders.
Egypt started the game defensively, managing Burkina Faso’s early pressure. Despite the noisy crowd, Egypt defended well and posed a threat on counter-attacks, using the speed of Mohamed Salah and Mahmoud ‘Trezeguet’ Hassan.
The match started with Trezeguet’s long-range shot missing the target six minutes in. Egypt faced a setback when Omar Marmoush was injured, replaced by Osama Faisal.
Burkina Faso threatened with a free kick after twenty minutes, but Egypt’s defence held strong, and Toure shot over the bar from the rebound. Trezeguet’s powerful shot was saved by Koffi, leaving the first half goalless.
In the second half, Egypt played cautiously, allowing Burkina Faso to control possession. Mohamed Salah assisted Trezeguet, but Koffi saved again. Salah had a goal disallowed for offside in the 67th minute.
Dango Ouattara missed a header late in the game, and Coach Hassan made substitutions with five minutes left. Mostafa Mohamed had two chances to score but couldn’t convert.
