Powerful Pharaohs
Liverpool star Salah takes Egypt closer to World Cup return
JOHANNESBURG: African giants Egypt moved closer to a first World Cup appearance since 1990 when they defeated Uganda 1-0 thanks to an early goal from Liverpool striker Mohamed Salah.
A near-capacity crowd in the 85,000-seat Borg El Arab Stadium in Alexandria saw the June signing from AS Roma strike just six minutes into the Group E clash on Tuesday.
Salah sneaked behind the defence and after goalkeeper Denis Onyango parried his first attempt, he poked the rebound into the net to decide the top-of-the-table showdown.
It was the first goal conceded by Uganda in 456 minutes of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup in Russia after five consecutive clean sheets.
Egypt created most of the chances only to be regularly thwarted by 2016 Africa-based Footballer of the Year Onyango.
The Pharaohs host bottom team Congo Brazzaville in October and visit third-placed Ghana in November and two victories will ensure they qualify.
Atletico Madrid midfielder Thomas Partey scored a hat-trick as Ghana kept faint hopes of a fourth straight World Cup appearance alive with a 5-1 thrashing of Congo in Brazzaville.
Egypt have nine points after four rounds, Uganda seven, Ghana five and Congo just one.
Although Egypt have been the dominant African football force, winning the African Nations Cup a record seven times, they consistently struggle in the World Cup, qualifying only twice.
Leaders Ivory Coast suffered a shock 2-1 home defeat by Gabon in Group C but the damage was lessened by second-placed Morocco only drawing 0-0 with Mali in Bamako.
Axel Meye and recent Southampton recruit Mario Lemina scored within 10 minutes during the first half for the Gabonese, who crumbled 3-0 at home to the Ivorians three days ago.
South Africa were another team to suffer a shock home defeat, losing 2-1 to Cape Verde for the second time in five days, this time in Indian Ocean city Durban.
Garry Rodrigues scored twice in the second half, from a free-kick and a shot outside the box, before substitute Andile Jali snatched a late consolation goal.
Defeat dropped the South Africans to the bottom of Group D, which is headed by Burkina Faso after a dramatic 2-2 draw with Senegal in Ouagadougou.