By Uche Dozie
Sport Writer, kick442.com Nigeria
An heartbreaking day it was for host Egypt as the Pharaohs fell by a point on penalties against defending champions Denmark in the quarter final match at the Cairo Stadium.
An 80 minutes thriller of a match produced a 35:35 scoreline at the end before penalty shoot-out settled the game.
The defending title holders however laboured to conquer a resolute and brilliant Egypt after two extra-time and penalties to get their seventh win of the campaign.
Egypt drew the first blood leading by 3 goals to nil. However, Denmark went ahead to equal score at home 4:4 and lead by 9 points to Egypt’s 8 at some point of the game.
The first half ended 16 goals to 13 goals in favour of the Danish team.
The second half was more cagey, as the two sides went head to head. While the world champions led, the African champions pegged them back.
The game was to end at regulation time with two countries sharing the spoils at 28:28. Hence, extra time.
Denmark were looking to head to the semifinals after a 4-point lead in the first extra time, but just they had always done in the game, Egypt equaled scores and move the game to another extra time.
Karim Hendawy was at the verge of taking Egypt to an historic semifinals after three crucial saves which saw the Pharaohs lead 35:34, but Ibrahim El-Masry got a red card and Magnus Landin scored from the 7-metre line to give Denmark a chance to win on penalties.
Egypt lost two penalties as against Denmark’s one. Lasse Svan scored his penalty for Denmark to take the day.
Copyright©2021 kick442.com
All rights reserved. This material and any other digital content on this platform may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, written or distributed in full or in part, without written permission from our management.
This site is not responsible for the content displayed by external sites
