Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers
Seven time Africa Cup of Nations champions Egypt have been eliminated from qualification for the 2013 edition, following a 4-3 aggregate defeat to Central African Republic.
Egypt, who are the continent’s most successful side, could only manage a 1-1 draw in Bangui, against a team placed 45 places lower in the FIFA World Rankings. The result follows a 3-2 defeat in the home leg earlier in June.
The match had been rearranged due to the country’s political problems, but defeat to their less illustrious opponents will now increase pressure on manager Bob Bradley, despite two wins from their opening World Cup qualifiers.
Central African Republic took an early lead through Kazakhstan based striker Foxi Kethevoama, meaning that even after Emed Moteab managed to equalise for Egypt twenty minutes from time, Egypt required two further goals to progress.
Central African Republic will now continue into the second-round of qualifiers, where the sixteen first-round winners will meet the 16 sides who featured at this year’s event in two-legged play-offs to reach next year’s event in South Africa.
