Cisse mocks Hassan as Egypt draws Angola in AFCON qualifier

Egypt opened its campaign for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers with a scoreless draw against Angola at Cairo International Stadium. The result cost the Pharaohs two valuable points on home soil despite their dominance in possession throughout the match.

The national team failed to convert control into goals against a disciplined Angolan defense. A controversial refereeing decision further complicated the night when an effort by Mostafa "Ziko" was ruled out for offside during the build-up play. The call came after a review of the player’s position at the moment of the pass, denying Egypt a lead.

Tactical shifts and substitutions

In the 60th minute, the Egyptian technical staff made a surprising move by withdrawing captain Mohamed Salah and replacing him with Ahmed Sayed Zizo to revitalize the attack. The coaching staff also introduced young striker Hamza Abdel Karim in place of Haitham Hassan, seeking fresh offensive energy to break the deadlock.

Despite these changes, the match remained goalless. The tactical adjustments highlighted the pressure on the Egyptian bench to find a solution against Angola’s organized defensive structure, which held firm until the final whistle.

Cisse’s provocative gesture sparks debate

The most discussed moment of the evening involved Senegalese coach Aliou Cisse, who leads the Angolan national team. While on the sidelines, Cisse mimicked a specific hand signal previously used by Hossam Hassan, Egypt’s head coach, during the 2026 World Cup match against Argentina.

Cisse crossed his arms in front of the referee, replicating the gesture Hassan made after Argentina’s third goal in that tournament’s round-of-16 loss. Many observers interpreted this action as a deliberate provocation directed at the Egyptian coaching staff and the stadium crowd, igniting widespread discussion on social media platforms.

Malawi takes early group lead

The draw allowed Malawi to seize the top spot in the group standings following the first round of matches. Malawi leads with three points after securing a 2-1 victory in their opening fixture.

Egypt and Angola share second place with one point each from their stalemate. South Sudan sits at the bottom of the table without any points, having lost their initial match of the qualifying phase.