Uganda have been eliminated from the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations after losing 1-0 to Egypt in a Group D clash on Saturday night.
Substitute Abdallah Said scored the late winner for Egypt in the match to put Pharaohs in strong position to join the group leaders Ghana in the quarter finals.
Egypt started the game on a high note, making some good moves in Uganda’s half but the seven time champions failed to break impressive Cranes backline mashalled by Hassan Waswa.
Mohamed Salah and Ramadan Sobhi at the flanks for Egyptians seemed no threat as they offered little to outstanding Deniss Onyango in Uganda’s goal.
Cranes started combining their passes well and nearly took the lead in the 28th minute when Joseph Ochaya cross was almost turned into his own goal by Egypt defender Ahmed Hegazy.
Micho boys continued to make impressive efforts in their hunt for the lead and with 10 minutes to the break they had their second effort on the goal mounth with Farouk Miya playing a quick one-two with Tony Mawejje before dragging a right-footed shot wide of the mark.
Mohammed Salah nearly scored in the last minutes of the first half but his impressive clearing header was easily collected by Onyango at the end of an impressive lifeless first half.
Cranes began the second half brightly, forcing the veteran Egyptian goalkeeper Essam El Hadary to punch several set-pieces clear but they ultimately failed to register a shot on target.
Egypt made their first change in the second half, with Hector Cuper sending on Abdallah Said just before the hour mark. The substitute soon wasted his team’s best chance of the match, firing off target when given a clear sight of goal from the edge of the box.
On 70th minutes El Said blastesd a shot well over when unmarked and Marwan Mohsen went for a header,but Egyptians seemed to be going for the second consecutive draw.
However things turned around in the final minute when impressive Uganda’s defence finally crumbled and Mohamed Salah showed a great composure to check his shot and play in Said, who arrived late to power a low shot through the Onyango’s legs and seal a late victory for the Pharaohs.
Cranes will now face Mali in Oyem in the final round of the Group D with simultaneous matches played on Wednesday night where Egypt will face Ghana in Port-Gentil.
Line-ups
Egypt: Essam El Hadary, Ahmed Hegazy, Ali Gabr, Mohammed Abdel Shafi, Ahmed Fathi, Mohamed Elneny, Ramadan Sobhi (Amr Warda 66′), Mahmoud Hassan (Mahmoud Abdel-Moneim 80′), Tarek Hamed (Abdallah Said 59′), Mohamed Salah, Marwan Mohsen
Uganda: Dennis Onyango, Joseph Ochaya, Murushid Juuko, Godfrey Walusimbi, Denis Iguma (Moses Oloya 90+1’), Hassan Wasswa, Farouk Miya (Nicholas Wadada 81′), Khalid Aucho, Geoffrey Kizito, Tony Mawejje, Geoffrey Massa (Muhammad Shaban 65′)
