Haneen Jalal wrote:
The Egyptian youth national team achieved a valuable victory over its Libyan counterpart with a score of 2-1 in the match that was held at the Ismailia Stadium, within the third round of the North African tournament qualifying for the 2025 African Youth Nations.
A negative first half, with caution on both sides
The match began with great caution from both teams, as both teams tried to impose their control over the course of the match, while relying on counterattacks to reach the net.
Despite the attempts of the Egyptian national team players to penetrate through the sides and crosses, the Libyan goalkeeper was on time to keep a clean sheet. On the other hand, the Libyan attacks posed some danger, but the Pharaohs’ defenses dealt with them steadily.
The first half ended in a goalless draw, with equal performances from both sides, leaving the decision postponed until the second half of the match.
Dramatic events in the second half
The second half witnessed great excitement, and the Egyptian team succeeded in taking the lead in the 75th minute via a penalty kick, which the team won after continuous pressure on the Libyan defences.
Ahmed Kabaka took the kick, and he shot the ball accurately to the left of the Libyan goalkeeper, announcing the Pharaohs’ lead with a clean goal, restoring hope in the team’s path to the tournament.
The Egyptians’ joy did not last long, as the Libyan response came quickly after only one minute. The Libyan team succeeded in taking advantage of the confusion in the Egyptian team’s defense, and the ball reached one of its attackers, who shot it directly into the net, returning the match to a draw, to the amazement of the Egyptian fans.
Bostanji decides the match in the last moments
While the match was approaching its end, and amid desperate attempts by both sides to snatch the winning goal, Abdullah Bostanji was able to appear at the right time to settle matters in favor of the Pharaohs.
The goal came in the last minutes of the match after a distinguished follow-up of a cross inside the penalty area, and he shot the ball powerfully into the Libyan goal, giving the Egyptian team three valuable points.
The importance of winning and the hope of advancement
With this victory, the Egyptian national team revived its hopes of competing for one of the qualification tickets to the 2025 African Youth Championship. This is considered the first victory for the Pharaohs in the tournament after a faltering start, which gives the team a great morale boost before the upcoming confrontations.
This result highlights the fighting spirit of the team’s youth, in addition to the technical leadership that succeeded in adjusting the course of the match after the Libyan goal, which demonstrated the players’ ability to deal with pressure and come back in difficult matches.
The Pharaohs are looking forward to more
The Egyptian youth team hopes to complete the series of victories in the remaining matches of the North African tournament, to secure a place in the continental championship. With the advanced performance shown by the team today, the opportunity seems ripe to achieve more victories.
With this victory, the Pharaohs youth prove that they have the capabilities and ambition to go far in this tournament, with the Egyptian fans looking forward to seeing the team achieve more achievements in the upcoming matches.
