On video: he saved Hossam Hassan's head, Egypt return with a big win from South Sudan
Egypt cruised to a valuable 5-0 win over hosts South Sudan at Juba Stadium on Tuesday evening, in the second round of Group 2 in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
The result rescued coach Hossam Hassan from a possible dismissal. Local press reports had raised the prospect of removing him following the crisis over his remarks against goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shenawy and his harsh criticism of Egyptian Premier League clubs.
Captain Mohamed Salah sat the match out, having left the national team camp on the grounds of avoiding an artificial turf pitch, with Rami Rabia wearing the armband in his place.
Press reports told a different story, linking Salah's departure to the tension inside the Egypt camp over Hassan's remarks.
Omar Marmoush marked the night by scoring in the Egypt shirt for the first time since last March, while Hamza Abdelkarim grabbed his first international goal. Ahmed Fatouh, though, went off injured.
Three points on the board took Egypt top of Group 2 with four, while South Sudan stayed pointless in last place.
Next Tuesday, Angola, third with one point, host Malawi, who sit second on three points, in the second round.
Marmoush ends his drought: Fatouh injured
Egypt were far from convincing in the first half, visibly troubled by the artificial surface. Yet they found the net in the 36th minute.
Ahmed Fatouh set off down the left flank and sent in a precise low cross, which Mostafa Zico converted with his left foot into the near corner.
A sharper Egypt emerged for the second half. Only four minutes had passed before Omar Marmoush doubled the lead in a one-on-one, latching onto a Mohanad Lasheen pass to end a long drought stretching back to his goal against Saudi Arabia last March.
Bad news soon followed for Hossam Hassan. Fatouh asked to come off in the 52nd minute after picking up a thigh injury in a challenge for the ball, with Karim Hafez replacing him.
Egypt kept growing into the game. Substitute Ibrahim Adel turned their dominance into a third goal in the 75th minute, thumping home a powerful strike after a Marwan Attia through ball.
With South Sudan surrendering, the door swung open for more. Marmoush duly took it, tucking away the fourth from another one-on-one after a pass from Emam Ashour.
Hamza opens his international account
Young Barcelona striker Hamza Abdelkarim came on for the final five minutes at Marmoush's expense.
He wasted no time. Abdelkarim grabbed his first international goal, and Egypt's fifth, in stoppage time, pouncing on a rebound after the goalkeeper had parried a shot from substitute Osama Faisal.
