Egypt maintained their perfect record in World Cup qualifying with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Sierra Leone at the Cairo International Stadium on Tuesday evening.
Ahmed "Zizo" Sayed's strike just before halftime proved the difference, keeping the Pharaohs firmly atop Group A with 16 points from six matches.
Egypt defeat Sierra Leone to remain undefeated in their 2026 World Cup CAF Qualifiers 🇪🇬 👏 pic.twitter.com/4tqokrvTJo
— OneFootball (@OneFootball) March 25, 2025
The electric atmosphere in Cairo reflected the home side's early intent.
Mohamed Salah looked particularly dangerous in the opening exchanges, but Sierra Leone goalkeeper Alhaji Sesay was up to the task, denying the Liverpool star on several occasions.
Sierra Leone grew in confidence towards the end of the first half, with Kei Kamara testing Pharaohs’ keeper Mohamed El Shenawy.
However, it was Egypt who broke the deadlock in the 47th minute. A well-worked team move culminated in Zizo calmly slotting the ball home, sending the home crowd into raptures and giving the group leaders a crucial advantage heading into the break.
The second half saw Egypt continue to dominate possession, but they struggled to convert their chances. Salah missed a golden opportunity in the 53rd minute, failing to connect with a pass from Omar Marmoush.
Sierra Leone appealed for a handball in the 64th minute when the ball struck an Egyptian defender in the box, but the referee waved play on.
The Pharaohs pushed for a second goal, with Salah and Marmoush combining dangerously in the 83rd minute, but their search for Trezeguet in front of goal proved unsuccessful.
While Sierra Leone offered little in attack, the final five minutes were nervy for the home side as they clung to their slender lead.
Ultimately, Egypt's resilience saw them through, securing a vital three points and extending their unbeaten run in Group A.
While the performance wasn't their most convincing, the result keeps them firmly on track for World Cup qualification.
Egypt (1) 1 (Sayed 45+2’)
Sierra Leone 0
Egypt: M. El Shenawy, M. Hany, R. Rabia, M. Abdelmonem, Trezeguet (M. Fathi 90+2’), M. Attia, A. Koka, M. Salah, A. Sayed (M. Shehata 73’), O. Marmoush, M. Mohamed (H. Fathy 57’)
Sierra Leone: A. Sesay, E. Samadia, S. Tarawallie, J. Bah, A. Turay, N. Jalloh (M. Dumbuya 87’), A. Koroma, A. Dumbuya (M. Bangura 83’), T. Fornah, M. Kamara (A. Conteh 46’), K. Kamara (M. Kamara 73’)
