October 12, (THEWILL) – Egypt secured a 1-0 victory over Zambia in a friendly match on Thursday evening, with Hamdi Fathi heading home deep into injury time to grab the win for the Pharaohs.
Both sides are gearing up for World Cup qualifiers and the Africa Cup of Nations in 2024, making this competitive clash useful preparation. Egypt started brightly, forcing early saves before Zambia grew into the game with chances of their own.
The match was evenly poised at the break, but Egypt upped the ante after the interval, going close through Zizo and Trezeguet. Zambia remained dangerous on the counter though, and a goalless draw seemed likely as the game entered added time.
However, Fathi popped up in the 94th minute to head home and break Chipolopolo’s hearts right at the death. The victory will delight Egypt’s boss, Rui Vitoria, as they build towards those major tournaments.
The Pharaohs face rivals Algeria next, while Zambia have a clash with Uganda to come. Both will want to continue their progress before qualifiers kick off in November.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
