Each team won one of the two single matches played in the Europe/Africa Zone of Group II play-offs tie at Cairo's El-Gezira Sporting Club.

Egypt's Mohamed Safwat, ranked 355th in the world, beat Menelaos Efstathiou 6-3, 6-2 in the first round of a match that lasted for one hour and nine minutes.

In the second singles match, Karim Mohamed-Maamoun lost 3-6, 4-6 against Petros Chrysochos.

"The overall result is good," Hassan El-Aroussy, the captain of Egypt's Davis Cup team, told Ahram Online.

"We were hoping to win the two matches. Safwat has done his best. He didn't give any chance to his rival and ended the match quickly.

"The world ranking of Cyprus player Chrysochos is higher than Maamoun, who was not at his best. This result does not lower our chances tomorrow. Our players are really hungry and eager to win," El-Aroussy added.

The tie will continue on Saturday with a doubles match, with Egypt's Safwat and Maamoun facing Sergis Kyratzis and Eleftherios Neos.

The game will be followed by two singles matches: Safwat against Chrysochos and Maamoun against Efstathiou. The three matches will determine which team will be promoted to the Europe/Africa Zone of Group I next year.

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