TotalEnergies CAF Futsal AFCON: Angola stun Egypt in ten goal thriller to qualify to the final
The Sable Antelopes of Angola ease past Egypt 7-3 to secure their place in the final of the TotalEnergies CAF Futsal AFCON Morocco 2024.
The Angolans produced a stunning performance at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Hall in Rabat to cruise past the tournament's most successful team and qualify for the FIFA Futsal World Cup in Uzbekistan.
Francisco Gabriel gave Angola the lead in the first minute of the match beating Gamal Badawy at the near post with a close range low drive.
The Sable Antelopes lead was short lived as Alaa Eissa responded for Egypt at the other end with a first time finish to make it 1-1.
Gamal Badawy pulled two successive saves to keep the score level after 4 minutes. The Serbia based keeper deflected Braùlio Fontoura’s strike for a corner before diving to his left to smother Francisco Gabriel’s goal bound stunner.
The Angolan were denied by the woodwork with 5 minutes on the clock when João Cambangula curled his left footed effort against Badawy’s goal.
Alexandre Gabriel Domingos was called to action in the Angolan goal to deny Alaa Eissa from doubling his tally against the three time champions.
The Southern African side restored their advantage six minutes before the interval courtesy of Gaspar Celestino’s effort at the back post.
Angola ace Benjamin Neta Santo robbed the Pharaohs’ Khaled Abdelhalim in possession to find Helber Garcia whose back heel pass was slotted beneath Badawy by Celestino to make it 2-1.
Gehad Arafa’s charges crawled their way back with an equaliser a minute before the break through a stunner from Alaa Eissa to make it 2-2 going into halftime.
The second half produced six goals as Angola thumped the Pharaohs to book their place in Sunday’s final and a World Cup berth.
Anderson Fortes rifled in the third for Marcos Antunes side before Alexandre Gabriel scored the fourth for Angola.
Mohamed Mohamed reduced the deficit for Egypt when his long range drive beat the keeper to make it 4-3.
Marcos Antunes side fired three unanswered goals late on to triumph and deny Egypt a place in the final for the first time in the tournament’s history.
Helber Garcia was on hand to score the three late goals for Angola to secure their place in the final ahead of the second semifinal between hosts Morocco and Libya.