Afcon

Photo: Khaled DESOUKI / AFP

Trézéguet applies a top finish to score opening Afcon goal [video]

The man he is named after certainly scored some memorable goals but Egypt’s Trézéguet notched a top strike of his own in hosts Egypt’s Afcon opener.

Afcon

Photo: Khaled DESOUKI / AFP

It took some time for Egypt to beat Zimbabwe goalkeeper Edmore Sibanda in their Afcon opener but when the goal from Trézéguet was worth waiting for.

Trézéguet, or Mahmoud Ahmed Ibrahim Hassan to give him his proper name, cut in from the left beating a pair of Warriors defenders before curling an effort into the back of the net to give the Pharaohs a 1-0 lead going into the break.

The first half had been an entertaining affair with stopper Sibanda kept busy early on as Egypt came forward in waves. Early on Egypt looked to bring talismanic Liverpool striker Mohamed Salah into the game and he had a few chances fall his way but was unable to convert.

Zimbabwe showed an attacking threat on the counter and Khama Billiat so nearly caught Egypt napping getting on the end of a quickly taken free kick, but the Mamelodi Sundowns man was unable to get a decent strike away.

After Sibanda’s string of early saves and with Zimbabwe growing into the game a massive crowd gathered in Cairo for the first game of the 32nd Africa Cup Nations began to grow restless.

After focusing their attacks down the right at first Egypt started to open up the left side for attack. Trézéguet, so-named by a former coach who felt he played a similar game to former French striker David Trézéguet, looked great going forward and hadn’t been afraid to take on the shot either.

Zimbabwe had defended manfully to keep Egypt out but appeared stretched by the pace an attacking options of the hosts which showed in the goal.

The Warriors were able to stay in the game with energy and commitment but struggled to create clear-cut chances of their own.

Watch video of the opening goal of Afcon 2019