Africa Cup of Nations round-up: Egypt top Group D after Ghana win

14:59
Egypt
Egypt's forward Mohamed Salah celebrates with his team-mates after scoring

Egypt have progressed to the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations as Group D winners after a 1-0 defeat of Ghana in Port-Gentil.

The victory was secured by Mohamed Salah's first-half goal and took the seven-time champions above Ghana and into first place with a total of seven points.

Ghana also progress to the competition's final eight, having won their two previous fixtures against Uganda and Mali to finish second.

Egypt were presented with the opportunity to go ahead when Ghana's John Boye fouled Abdallah El Said on the edge of the penalty area.

Roma's Salah then gave his side the lead from an 11th-minute free-kick, powerfully striking into the top-left corner as goalkeeper Brimah Razak barely moved.

Ghana perhaps edged a largely even affair thereafter, but were undermined in their pursuit of an equalising goal when Asamoah Gyan went off injured towards the end of the first half.

Egypt, therefore, secured a third clean sheet from three Group D fixtures, but may yet regret doing so.

Much has been made of the poor condition of the pitch in Port-Gentil, where the group winners were scheduled to remain for their final-eight fixture.

Heavy rain has worsened the pitch's condition in recent days - runners-up Ghana, however, will next play in Oyem.

Elsewhere, Uganda scored their first goal at the Africa Cup of Nations since 1978 as they drew 1-1 with Mali to see both sides exit the competition.

Farouk Miya gave Uganda the lead in the 70th minute, receiving possession in space on the edge of the area, before striking past Mali goalkeeper Oumar Sissoko and inside the far left post.

Miya scored the goal last September that secured Uganda's qualification for their first African Nations Cup appearance for 39 years, and his strike secured a small piece of history for his country. Phillip Omondi had been their last scorer, against Nigeria in the 1978 semi-finals.

Three minutes after Miya struck, Uganda were pegged back by Mali.

Mali were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the area when Moussa Marega was fouled by Murshid Juuko. From it, Yves Bissouma produced an impressive and powerful finish, into the top-left corner, out of goalkeeper Robert Odongkara's reach.

Source : skysports[dot]com

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