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Established 1961 27 Sports Monday, July 8, 2019 Late Lorch goal stuns Africa Cup of Nations hosts Egypt Nigeria topple holders Cameroon 3-2 CAIRO: Thembinkosi Lorch scored on 85 minutes to cold that forced him to miss some training, had a shot give South Africa a stunning 1-0 victory over Africa Cup deflected wide soon after. Mohamed ‘Trezeguet’ Hassan, of Nations hosts Egypt after a pulsating last-16 clash in one of the Pharaohs’ stars in the group stage, tormented Cairo Saturday. After three woeful group performances, several defenders just outside the box and induced a South Africa were rank outsiders against the record sev- foul, but Abdallah el Said botched the free-kick. The en-time African champions, whose line-up included desire of South Africa to attack was evident again on 15 Liverpool star Mohamed Salah. A seesaw struggle was minutes when impressive winger Tau stung the finger- settled when a swift counterattack allowed Lebo tips of Elshenawy with a hard, long-range shot. Mothiba to send Lorch through and he fired past goal- Tau came much closer to breaking the deadlock mid- keeper Mohamed Elshenawy. way through the half with a free-kick that cleared the The winners were unrecognisable from the team that wall and forced Elshenawy into a brilliant save. South struggled in the group stage as they displayed sharpness Africa were looking the likelier side to break the dead- and desire not previously evident. South Africa will face lock and a brave block by Ayman Ashraf foiled Lorch. arch-rivals Nigeria, who eliminated defending champions Mokotjo then unleashed a sizzling low,long-range shot Cameroon earlier Saturday, in the quarter-finals. Egypt that flew past Elshenawy but finished just off target, The changed three of the side that defeated Uganda to com- frustration of Egypt, who scored all five group goals plete Group A with a 100 percent record, five goals before half-time, was mirrored in the angry reaction of scored and none conceded. Back came defender Salah when a free-kick was awarded against him. Mahmoud Alaa, midfielder Tarek Hamed and forward Mexico-born Egypt coach Javier Aguirre altered his Marwan Mohsen with Baher Elmohamady, Nabil Donga largely ineffective attack at half-time, bringing in veter- and Ahmed Hassan dropping to the bench. South Africa an Ahmed Ali for Mohsen. ‘Trezeguet’ squandered a made two changes, both in midfield, from the team that great chance just before the hour, tamely shooting lost to Morocco and squeezed into the second round straight at goalkeeper Ronwen Williams after a superb with the worst record of the best four third-place teams. defence-splitting pass from Salah. Amr Warda, axed In came South African Premiership Player of the from the squad over sexual harassment allegations and Season Lorch and fit-again Dean Furman for Thulani swiftly recalled after player pressure, came off the Serero and suspended Themba Zwane. Bafana Bafana bench on 64 minutes for his second tournament appear- (The Boys) had been woeful in all three Group D match- ance. South Africa captain Thulani Hlatshwayo headed ALEXANDRIA: Nigeria’s midfielder Oghenekaro Etebo tackles Cameroon’s midfielder Pierre Kunde Malong (right) during es, barely troubling rival defences, and the public and just wide as he darted on to a free kick with 20 minutes the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) Round of 16 football match between Nigeria and Cameroon on July 6, 2019. — AFP media slammed the negative tactics of coach Stuart remaining. Baxter. The England-born coach hinted at a more attacking approach and was true to his word as Percy Nigeria beat Cameroon scrappy opener but Clarence Seedorf’s Cameroon hit unexpected quarter-final clash with South Africa, who Tau and Lorch had ambitious long-range attempts at In another development, Odion Ighalo scored twice back through Stephane Bahoken and Clinton Njie with stunned hosts and favourites Egypt 1-0 in Cairo. “It was goal within three minutes of the kick-off. and teed up Alex Iwobi’s winning goal as Nigeria elimi- two quick-fire goals before half-time. a good win and it was a difficult game. Even when they nated defending Africa Cup of Nations champions Nigeria drew level as Ighalo volleyed in his second scored to make it 2-1 we still believed we could score Tormented Cameroon after a thrilling 3-2 victory in Alexandria on just past the hour and he then turned provider to play in and come back,” said Ighalo, as coach Gernot Rohr Salah, passed fit after recovering from a midweek Saturday. China-based forward Ighalo bundled home a Iwobi to steer home three minutes later and set up an praised the resilience of the Super Eagles. — Agencies Angry Messi Egyptian press slam ‘embarrassing’, slams ‘Brazilian ‘still-born’ Pharaohs CAIRO: Egypt’s usually tame press did Rida also tendered his resignation. fix’ after Copa not hold back after the national team’s Papers wary of fans’ swelling anger exit from the Africa Cup of Nations on shied away from criticising the associa- home soil, branding the side “embar- tion directly as it is politically loyal and red card rassing” after a “still-born perform- backed by the authorities. ance”. The record seven-time champi- ons were dumped out in the last 16 by ‘Catastrophic failure’ SAO PAOLO: Lionel Messi was sent off South Africa on Saturday with a 1-0 In Al-Watan, one of the biggest before halftime and then angrily hit out at defeat at the Cairo International tabloids close to the security services, “corrupt” tournament organisers after Stadium. “You embarrassed us... Our the devastating loss was summed up Argentina beat Chile 2-1 to win a bad-tem- national squad disappoints millions and with: “The dream goes up in smoke.” It pered third-place playoff at the Copa bows out of the African Cup of also went after Aguirre for making “cata- America on Saturday. The match was 34 min- Nations,” Al-Akhbar, one of Egypt’s strophic” errors throughout the tourna- utes old when Chilean captain Gary Medel main newspapers, splashed on its ment, leading to a national “failure”. shepherded out a ball near his own goal. Sunday front page. In a country where Previously praised in this competition, Messi challenged him from behind and Medel the press is rarely critical of official rising star Mahmoud Trezeguet “wasted reacted angrily, pushing the Argentine and institutions, there was plenty of blame every single opportunity” he was given raising his hands. thrown around. to put South Africa away, Al-Watan said. The Paraguayan referee showed Medel a SAO PAULO: Paraguayan referee Mario Diaz de Vivar shows the red card to Argentina’s Lionel Al-Akhbar lambasted “the absurdi- Popular football website Yalla Kora ques- red card and even though Messi did not Messi and Chile’s Gary Medel during the Copa America football tournament third-place match ties” of Mexican coach Javier Aguirre’s tioned whether “this generation will ever react, he too was sent off, prompting boos in at the Corinthians Arena on July 6, 2019. -—AFP tactics and “the still-born performance reach the next World Cup in 2022”. Even Sao Paulo’s Corinthians arena. Reports said of the players”. A photo of star forward beloved national icon Salah was caught the Barcelona forward did not attend the cer- Mohamed Salah on the verge of tears in the crosshairs of criticism. emony to receive his third-place medal and Argentina were furious that VAR was not spot 14 minutes into the second half. Hosts accompanied the front-page article. Several reasons were given for the he later hit out at the South American consulted for two possible penalty decision, Brazil faced Peru in the final yesterday in Rio Meanwhile, state mouthpiece Al Ahram disappointing exit, including how the Football Confederation (CONMEBOL). “We with the Argentine Football Association pres- de Janeiro. declared the loss as “one of the biggest Liverpool star had “imposed” his will by don’t have to be part of this corruption,” ident writing an angry letter to CONMEBOL surprises of the 2019 AFCON”. Egypt, demanding the return of his teammate Messi told reporters. “The lack of respect to express his disgust. Messi’s frustration was Football bosses fire back with most of their team playing in Amr Warda. The controversial player that they have showed us throughout this evident in the mixed zone after what was only Meanwhile, South American football gov- Europe’s top leagues, were the pre- was initially kicked out of the squad fol- tournament. the second red card of his career. “You saw erning body CONMEBOL hit back at tournament favourites. lowing sexual harassment allegations “Sadly, the corruption, the referees, they what happened,” he told reporters. “A yellow Argentine superstar Lionel Messi on “Egyptian football paid the price for surfacing online, but was then brought don’t allow people to enjoy football, they would have ended it for both of us. The Saturday after he accused the body of cor- the coaching staff who chose players back into the fold after an outcry by the ruined it a bit. “I think the cup is fixed for important thing is that with 10 the team fin- ruption. Messi reacted after he was sent-off unfit to play at an international level,” players supporting him. Many fans actu- Brazil,” Messi added. “I hope that the VAR ished well and won.” during Argentina’s 2-1 victory in the third the paper said. “Coach Javier Aguirre is ally welcomed the defeat of the and the referees have nothing to do in this The referee also showed six yellow cards place play-off against Chile earlier in the day.