Egypt Secures First-Ever Victory Over 9-Man Sierra Leone

In a historic encounter at the Samuel K. Doe stadium in Monrovia, Egypt clinched their first-ever win against Sierra Leone with a 2-0 triumph, maintaining their flawless record in Group A. Striker Mahmoud Trezeguet's brace solidified Egypt's lead with maximum points from two games, marking a significant achievement.

Despite the Pharaohs finding the net before a critical moment in the match, the turning point occurred when Sierra Leone's Tyrese Fornah, playing for Derby County in England, received a straight red card in the 34th minute for a dangerous foul on an opponent during his home debut.

Mahmoud Trezeguet, based in Turkey, capitalized on a precise opportunity orchestrated by Liverpool's Mohamed Salah, securing Egypt's first goal in the 18th minute. Sierra Leone Stars came close to equalizing before halftime, with winger Sullay Kaikai hitting the left post after an impressive build-up.

In the 62nd minute, Mo Salah exploited a defensive error from Emmanuel Samadiya, setting up Trezeguet for a deflected shot that surpassed goalie Ibrahim Sesay, doubling Egypt's lead. Salah's involvement took his tally in the campaign to three goals, having previously scored against Djibouti in their opening home game.

Sierra Leone fought bravely to narrow the gap, testing the resilience of the Egyptian goalkeeper El-Shenawy towards the end of normal time. Substitute Amadou Bakayoko's attempt from a cross was thwarted by El-Shenawy, who also managed to save the subsequent rebound kick.

The Leone Stars concluded the match with only nine players as central defender Abdul Jarju Kabia received a second yellow card. Notably, Mo Salah faced disruption from pitch invaders, leading to a temporary pause in the match during second-half stoppages.

This victory marks Egypt's first triumph over Leone Stars in their three encounters, establishing a head-to-head record of one win each and a draw. Leone Stars, on the other hand, have participated in two qualifiers, securing one draw and one loss with no goals scored and two goals conceded.