• Tweeter

  • republish

Egyptian Mohamed Salah in tears after the premature elimination of CAN 2019 against South Africa. REUTERS / Amr Abdallah Dalsh

The South African team created the feat by eliminating the host country of the African Cup of Nations football, July 6 in Cairo. Valiant "Bafana Bafana" beat Egypt's "Pharaohs" 1-0 in the round of 16 of CAN 2019. In the quarter-finals on July 10, South Africans will face Nigerians.

From our special envoy in Cairo,

And the 75,000 spectators of the Cairo international stadium were silent ... before singing again during the remaining 6 minutes to play. But that did not change anything: Egypt left prematurely an African Cup of Nations that she hoped to win for the eighth time. The fault of a surprising team from South Africa, uninhibited and fantastic solidarity, this July 6 in Cairo, in the knockout stages of the CAN 2019.

Egyptians not efficient enough

In the first half, it is the challengers who are already the most menacing. In particular, the new South African star, Percy Tau. After sending a missile to the quarter of an hour of play, the small striker forces the gatekeeper Mohamed Elshenawy to a parry much more difficult. In the 22nd minute, the resident of Brighton & Hove Albion (England) perfectly hits a coiled free kick. Elshenawy just deflects the ball on the crossbar.

The unknown Christopher Thembinkosi Lorch, tenured for the first time during this CAN 2019, is not outdone and weighs on the Egyptian defense.

STATS | Check out the full-time stats! Which team had the better overall performance? # TotalAFCON2019 #EGYRSA pic.twitter.com/RJvLnxtsxu

CAF (@CAF_Online) July 6, 2019

As for the "Pharaohs", they have control of the game and also obtain some clear opportunities. But they lack effectiveness in the last gesture. Whether on shots of Marwan Mohsen (3rd) or the new darling of the public, Mahmoud Hassan Trezeguet (24th).

An executioner named Thembinkosi Lorch

Trezeguet who loses another duel with Ronwen Williams shooting the goalkeeper "Bafana Bafana" (57th). Unhappy with his offensive animation, Javier Aguirre, the coach of the Egypt team, brought Ahmed Ali in place of Marwan Mohsen (46th) then the sulphurous Amr Warda to that of Abdallah El Said (64th).

The difference is not obvious. And they are even the captain Thulani Hlatshwayo (head shot in the 69th) and Christopher Thembinkosi Lorch (shot squared in the 72nd minute) who stand out. The South African selection, which qualified for extreme accuracy for the round of 16, is metamorphosed with respect to these two defeats and his short victory in the first round.

Symbol of this renewal, Thembinkosi Lorch ruins the party by cheating Elshenawy with a cross shot, following a Tau service in the 85th minute of play. What a theatrical twist! It is indeed South Africa that will face Nigeria , July 10, in the quarter-finals of the competition!

READ ► CAN 2019: Calendar, results and standings of the Africa Cup

► If the direct is not displayed, click here.