A solitary strike from Mohamed Salah handed Egypt a 1-0 win over Uganda in their fourth Group E match of the 2018 Fifa World Cup Qualifiers at the Borg El-Arab Stadium in Alexandria on Tuesday.
In the wake of the victory, the Pharaohs now return to the top spot with nine points from four matches and have boosted their chances of booking a spot in Russia.
With both sides chasing an early goal, it was the hosts who were quick off the mark as Salah netted from a rebound in the sixth minute after goalkeeper Denis Onyango initially denied him from close range.
In the 19th minute, Moses Basena’s men started to come out of the blocks and nearly caught their hosts napping when a good cross from the right found Derrick Nsibambi, but his header went over Essam El-Hadary’s cross bar from close range.
With three minutes to the half-hour mark, Onyango showed his class when he denied Gamal from a powerful header in the box and later blocked Raadan Sobhi’s second attempt after a great delivery from Ahmed Fathi.
Both sides were stable in defence after their return from the tunnel, but Salah tried a long range effort in the 58th minute but failed to hit the target.
The Cranes fought hard for an equaliser and almost grabbed one, but Nsibambi’s effort from a header lacked power and was saved by El-Hadary in the 83rd minute.
In the dying stages of the contest, it was Onyango who denied the hosts the second goal from a number of attempts as the Ugandans remain at number two with seven points in Group E.
Egypt: (1) 1 (Salah 6′)
Uganda: (0)
Egypt: El-Hadary, Fathi, Hegazi, Rabia, Abdel-Shaf, Hamed, Elneny, El-Said (Gomaa 88′), Sobhi (Trezeguet 70′), Salah, Gamal (Mahgoub 76′)
Uganda: Onyango, Wadada, Walusimbi, Isinde, Juuko, Mawanda, Aucho, Okwi (Sserunkuma 68′), Miya, Derrick Nsibambi (Karissa 89′), Ochaya (Kizito 46′).
