Egypt U-23 team clinched a vital 1-0 victory against Uzbekistan in their second group stage match on Saturday, keeping their hopes of reaching the Paris 2024 Olympic Games quarterfinals alive.
A fortuitous deflection off Ahmed "Koka" Nabil found the back of Uzbekistan's net just ten minutes into the game, securing the crucial points for Egypt.
Currently occupying the second spot in Group C with four points, Egypt trails behind group leaders Spain, who have amassed a perfect record with two wins so far.
After a disappointing draw in their opening match against the Dominican Republic, the young Pharaohs were determined to secure their first win.
During the first half, winger Ibrahim Adel and seasoned midfielder Mohamed Elneny missed two clear scoring opportunities that could have eased the team's mission, but were thwarted by the opposing defense.
In the second half, Ahmed "Zizo" El Sayed narrowly missed the target from close range in the 57th minute in an attempt to double the lead.
Former Arsenal midfielder Elneny unleashed a powerful strike in the 60th minute, only to see it deflected into the corner by the Uzbekistan goalkeeper.
Ibrahim Adel has another chance to secure the lead after brillantly skipping past his marker but his close range shot missed the target.
Coach Rogerio Micale brought in fresh legs to contain Uzbekistan late pressure and they were able to secure the points of the game.
Egypt faces a challenging task against Spain in their upcoming match on Tuesday.
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