LONODN: Egypt coach Javier Aguirre hailed his side after a 6-0 thrashing of Niger got qualification for next year’s African Cup of Nations back on track, but the new boss warned Mohamed Salah and Co. that he expects better in future matches.
Salah put his uneasy relationship with the Egyptian Football Association to one side as he scored two, made two and missed two penalties in Alexandria as the Pharaohs moved on from their sorry showing at this summer’s World Cup.
The result was even more important after they had lost the opening game in Group J of qualification against Tunisia last year, but Aguirre, the former coach of Mexico, Japan and Atletico Madrid, was not completely satisfied.
“The players did not carry out all the instructions given,” Aguirre, appointed in August to succeed Hector Cuper who presided over the dismal World Cup campaign, said after the game.
“I am satisfied with the training camp that we had and this was a factor in what was a big win but we should not get carried away as we may not be able to beat other opponents with such a big scoreline.”
There was much to appreciate however as the 59 year-old Mexican pointed out.
“The players combined well because they have a good relationship with each other. We’ve only been training for four days, we’ll be better after four years,” he added.
Despite Salah’s fine performance, when the Liverpool star became the third-highest goalscorer for Egypt with 39 goals to his name, Aguirre pinpointed Aly Ghazal, the Canada-based defender earning a recall to the national team for the first time in four years, as the star of the six-goal show. Ghazal marshaled the backline in impressive fashion with Baher El-Mohamadi and Salah Mohsen enjoying fine debuts.
“Ghazal was the best player and was impressive but overall, it is a good start but we still have a lot of work to do,”Aguirre said.
The one piece of bad news for the hosts was that of West Bromwich Albion defender Ahmed Hegazi will miss the next qualifier against Swaziland in October through suspension.
Overall however, fans were delighted with the big win. Cuper was criticized for overly-defensive tactics during his time in the Egypt hotseat and Aguirre was appointed partly because of his reputation for more progressive, attacking football. Egypt were a relentless attacking force throughout the match and would not have been flattered with a much more convincing scoreline.
Niger coach Francois Zahoui explained that a combination of individual mistakes and the skills of Salah put the game beyond his team.
“We made too many errors in the opening period and we were then always chasing the game,” Zahoui, who admitted that he had voted for the Liverpool striker to win Best FIFA Men’s Player Award, said. “He was a real danger tonight and he never gave our defenders a second to settle.”
Elsewhere, Morocco also bounced back from an early exit from the World Cup and an opening defeat in African qualification to beat Malawi 3-0 in Casablanca to move into second in Group B behind Cameroon.
Hakim Ziyach opened the scoring after just three minutes and Youssef En-Nesyri grabbed the other two.
“We need to keep getting good results,” Morocco coach Herve Renard said. “Consistency is the most important aspect. We have a good team and a strong foundation and we just need to incorporate a few younger players over time. We have been moving forward over the past two and a half years and need to continue in the same direction.”
Algeria stayed on top of Group D despite being held to a 1-1 draw in Gambia. Baghdad Bounedjah gave the Fennecs the lead just after the break only for Assan Ceesay to level the game within two minutes to earn a point for Gambia.
Javier Aguirre calls for Egypt to go up a level after Mohamed Salah super show
Javier Aguirre calls for Egypt to go up a level after Mohamed Salah super show
- The Pharaohs excel on new coach's debut in Alexandria.
- Salah scores two and sets up two to take international goal tally to 39.
Pineau leads by 1 as Vecchi Fossa stars at Hilton Classic in Tangier
- Leaders hit a 2-under-par 70 in what proved arguably the most challenging conditions of the MENA Golf Tour season so far
TANGIER: France’s Pierre Pineau holds a one-shot lead heading into the final round of the Hilton Classic at Al-Houara Golf Club in Tangier after battling to a two-under-par 70 in arguably the most challenging conditions of the MENA Golf Tour season so far.
Italy’s Jacopo Vecchi Fossa produced a stunning six-under 66 to storm into contention despite the torrential afternoon rain.
Pineau, who began the day on three-under par, made four birdies against two bogeys to move to five under overall and head a congested leaderboard.
He navigated the morning conditions well enough, reaching the turn one-under for his round, before digging deep on the back nine as the weather deteriorated sharply.
“On the back nine I just fought as hard as I could,” Pineau said. “The rain was not so much about distance, it was more about the ball sliding on the face on chips and wedges. I have played in tough, changing weather before so I felt comfortable adapting.”
“It would mean a lot to win because I have struggled over the last 12 months, so it would be a big boost of confidence,” he added. “After today my confidence is in a good place.”
Three players share second place on four-under par. England’s Curtis Knipes carded a composed 71, making birdies at the ninth, 13th and 15th to offset bogeys at the first and 17th and maintain his challenge.
Pakistan’s Aadam Syed also signed for a 71, his four birdies countered by three dropped shots in a battling round he described as a constant test of patience.
“It was a real battle out there today,” Syed said. “Yesterday was windy but it eased over the last six holes and you could start firing at flags. Today it was constant all day, so patience was key.”
Syed, who had his father on the bag, is chasing a first title. “To win on the MENA Golf Tour would mean a great deal,” he said. “I have not won as a professional yet, so to tick that off would be huge and would confirm to myself that I am good enough.”
The third member of the second-place trio was the story of the day. Fossa, who started on the first tee, produced a flawless six-under 66, featuring four birdies and an eagle at the 10th, all without a bogey despite the increasingly brutal afternoon conditions.
“Honestly, I don’t really know how I did it,” Vecchi Fossa said. “On the back nine it was rain and wind the whole way and I was hitting hybrid and three wood into par fours straight into the wind. It was crazy out there.
“The hardest part was gripping the club with so much water, but I managed to hit a lot of fairways and the putts went in, which made the difference.”
France’s Andoni Etchenique and overnight leader Aron Zemmer, who slipped back with a two-over 74, share fifth place on three-under par.
Ireland’s Alex Maguire, the round one co-leader, dropped two shots to sit at two under with New Zealand’s Luke Kidd and Ireland’s Paul McBride in a tie for seventh.
Ayoub Lguirati remains the highest-placed Moroccan heading into the final round, the home favorite signing for a 74 to sit on two-over par in a share of 20th place, with compatriots Ayoub Ssouadi and Issam Nakrou also making the cut.
The final round of the Hilton Classic gets underway on Wednesday, with the $100,000 prize fund and Official World Golf Ranking points on the line.
