Pharaohs of Egypt extended their unbeaten run in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Sierra Leone at the Cairo International Stadium on Tuesday evening.
The result solidifies the Pharaohs’ position at the top of Group A with 16 points from six matches, keeping them firmly in the driver’s seat for automatic qualification.
Sayed’s First-Half Strike Separates the Teams
The atmosphere in Cairo was electric, with Egypt dominating from the start. Mohamed Salah looked particularly sharp in the opening minutes, but Leone Stars goalkeeper Alhaji Sesay made crucial saves to deny the Liverpool forward.
Sierra Leone grew into the game toward the end of the first half, with Kei Kamara testing Mohamed El Shenawy, but the Egyptian shot-stopper handled the threat with ease.
Pharoahs’ finally broke the deadlock in the 47th minute (first-half added time) when Ahmed “Zizo” Sayed finished off a well-worked team move, giving the Pharaohs a crucial lead heading into the break.
Second Half: Pharaohs in Control, but Sierra Leone Hold Firm
Egypt continued to dominate possession after the restart and had a golden chance to double their lead in the 53rd minute, but Salah missed a sitter after a perfect pass from Omar Marmoush.
Sierra Leone appealed for a penalty in the 64th minute after the ball struck an Egyptian defender’s hand in the box, but the referee waved play on.
The Pharoahs’ pushed for a second goal in the 83rd minute, with Salah and Marmoush combining in the attack, but they failed to find Trezeguet, who was in a prime scoring position.
Despite a nervy final five minutes, Sierra Leone failed to trouble the Egyptian defense, and the hosts held on to secure all three points.
Final Score:
🔹 Egypt (1) 1 (Sayed 45+2’)
🔹 Sierra Leone (0) 0
Egypt Marching Towards Qualification
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With this victory, Egypt remains unbeaten and strengthens their grip at the top of Group A. Sierra Leone, on the other hand, will need a strong response in their upcoming fixtures to keep their qualification hopes alive.
Can the Pharoahs’ maintain their dominance and book their spot at the 2026 World Cup?
