Egypt held by Angola in goalless CAN 2027 qualifying opener

Egypt were held to a 0-0 draw by Angola in their opening CAN 2027 qualifying match at Cairo International Stadium on Friday.

The hosts controlled much of the Group B fixture, enjoying 63% possession compared with Angola’s 37%. Egypt also created more shooting opportunities, attempting 14 efforts, three of which were on target, while Angola managed 10 shots and two on target.

However, Egypt were unable to turn their dominance into a goal. Mohamed Salah and his team-mates struggled to break through a disciplined Angola defence, which remained organised throughout and protected its clean sheet until the final whistle.

Angola, known as the Palancas Negras, showed enough defensive resilience to secure a point away from home. The result means both sides begin their qualifying campaign with one point.

For Egypt, the draw represents a disappointing start on home soil. The Pharaons will need to be more clinical in their next match if they are to avoid dropping further points in the race to qualify for CAN 2027.