Egypt moved to the top of Group E after a 2-1 win over Congo yesterday away in Kintele.
Mohamed Salah and Abdallah Saied scored in either half, making Ferebory Dore’s opener count for little.
The Pharaohs have three points, two more than Uganda and Ghana who played out a barren draw last Friday in Tamale, with Congo at the bottom of the standings pointless.
The victory comes as a huge boost to the seven-time African champions, eyeing their first ever participation at the Mundial since 1990.
Backed by the home fans, ‘Les Diables Rouges’ started on a positive note and the partnership of Dore and Thievy Bifouma kept the Egyptian backline on their toes.
The pair teamed up for the opener on 24 minutes when a Bifouma cross from the right was met by Dore, leaving Egyptian 43-year old goalkeeper Essam El Hadary with no option.
The Pharaohs had to wait for four minutes before the break to level through a Salah header after left-back Mohamed Abdel-Shafy tailor-measured pass found him.
Both teams resumed stronger but it was the Egyptians who made their presence felt with the second goal on 58 minutes which turned out to be the winner. Tarek Hamed’s long searching pass found Salah deep in the Congolese half, and Salah squared Saied, who bundled home past Congo goalie Gildas Kiwoko.
The Congolese pressed for the equalizer which remained elusive whilst Kiwoko denied Saied his second of the game with a superb save on the stroke of full time.
Egypt host Ghana in November in Alexandr
