African Champions Humiliated In Sudan

The Sudanese side dominated the first period of the encounter and were deservedly ahead midway through the first half through an own goal from Mahmoud Fathallah.

Veteran Egyptian coach, Hassan Shehata decided to replace FC Sion goalkeeper, Essam Al Hadari at half time with Mohammed Abdul-Monsef, a decision that proved costly for the six time African champions.

In the final quarter of the game, the Sudanese side, which had kept on piling pressure on the Egyptian defence, found a way through and Mudathir El Tahir scored a brace, while Ahmed Adel added a fourth to punish the largely unimpressive Egyptian team.

This was the biggesr defeat the Pharaohs have suffered in 5 years, since going down to the French team 5-0 at the Stade de France in 2003.

Hassan Shehata opted for a 4-4-2 formation, a totally different one from the traditional 3-5-2 that he has used for a couple of years now.

Middlesbrough striker, Hossam "Mido" Ahmed, who was returning to the national team after several months, was used on the left wing by the coach. Ahmed Hassan, who is a natural midfielder, was deployed to the right wing, another unfamiliar pattern to the Egyptian team.

Sudanese midfielder Mugahid Ahmed should have put the home side in front as early as the 10th minute when he was through on goal, but his effort was quickly blocked by the onrushing Hadari.

Egyptian defender Fathallah put the Sudanese team ahead eight minutes before the break when he put a diving header off a cross from Sudanese midfielder Badreldin Galag into his own net.

In the 81st minute the dominant Sudanese side made the best of a faulty substitution by Shehata, as substitute goalkeeper Abdul-Monsef spilt a shot to allow El Tahir score his first and the second of the game.

Adel scored the third goal two minutes from the end of the encounter, when his weak and tame shot was not dealt with by Abdul-Monsef.

El Tahir grabbed his brace when he got on the end of a fine counter attack to slot the ball past Abdul-Monsef for the fourth goal.

Egypt are faced with a potential dicey tie against the DR Congo next month.