Egypt Olympic team (Al-Ahram)
Egypt failed to retain their one-goal lead to open their U-23 Africa Cup of Nations campaign with a 1-1 draw against Algeria in Mbour.
Mahmoud Kahraba gave Hossam El-Badri's side the lead nine minutes after the break, before Zeinedine Ferhat drew the Desert Foxes level in the 68th minute.
Egypt and Algeria are now respectively second and third in Group B with a single point, as Mali take on Nigeria later on Sunday.
The Pharaohs are bidding to make a second straight summer Olympics appearance. A top-three finish would see them qualify for the tournament in Rio de Janeiro.
Insipid match, late action
A largely insipid first half saw Algeria miss the target just five minutes before halftime, when forward Ferhat headed in a ball that initially hit the woodwork into keeper Mosaad Awad's hands.
The action, however, started after the break, and it was an unlikely source of headed goals that opened the scoring. Kahraba headed in a free kick from Mohamed Hani past the keeper.
It wasn't long until the Algerians pulled level though, with Ferhat hitting a weak low shot after evading defender Yasser Ibrahim's challenge. Keeper Awad is largely to be blamed for the goal.
Algeria then had the chance to take the lead when forward Abderrahmane Meziane wasted a one-on-one chance, only to see the ball go wide of the post.
But the miss of the match belonged to substitute Mohamed Salem who had a through-on-goal after a brilliant curled pass from Kahraba. The keeper cleared away, but Salem blasted wide with the goals gaping.
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