Sharaf strike sends Egypt through as Tanzania bow out winless
Egypt sealed their place in the quarter-finals of the TotalEnergies CAF U20 Africa Cup of Nations with a narrow 1-0 win over Tanzania at the Suez Canal Stadium on Friday evening.
Ahmed Sharaf’s seventh-minute goal proved enough for the hosts, who finish the group stage level on seven points with South Africa and Sierra Leone, but progress by virtue of a superior head-to-head mini-league involving the three tied teams.
Tanzania, who were already eliminated before kick-off, leave the competition without a point or a goal from four matches – extending their winless run at U20 AFCON finals to seven matches across two appearances.
Egypt made the perfect start to the game when Mohamed Zaalouk’s initial effort was parried into the path of Sharaf, who calmly slotted home from close range to give the home side an early lead.
Despite their early dominance, the Pharaohs struggled to add a second, and it was Tanzania who pushed harder as the match wore on.
Substitute Vedastus Masinde came closest for the East Africans, forcing a strong save from the Egyptian keeper with a well-timed header just after the hour mark.
Coach Salum Mayanga’s side showed admirable determination, recording more shots and spending long periods in Egyptian territory, but their finishing continued to let them down – a problem that has plagued their entire campaign.
Tanzania's best chances came late on through Bakari Msimu and Jammy Simba, but neither could find the target. Egypt had to rely on solid defending and game management to hold on to their slim advantage.
The result means Egypt progress to the last eight and avoid the embarrassment of back-to-back group-stage exits as hosts, having also fallen at this stage in 2023. It was far from a convincing performance, but it was enough.
For Tanzania, it is a tournament to forget. Four losses from four games without scoring a single goal is a harsh reminder of the work that lies ahead if they are to compete consistently at this level.