AFCON: Egypt strikes late to knock out Uganda

Abdallah El Said scored with a minute left as Egypt snatched a 1-0 win over Uganda on Saturday. Egypt is now on the verge of entering the Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinal after eliminating Uganda.

Egypt's players celebrate after scoring a goal against Uganda in the Africa Cup of Nations Group D match in Port-Gentil on Saturday.

Abdallah El Said scored with a minute left as Egypt snatched a 1-0 win over Uganda on Saturday that leaves them on the verge of the Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinal and eliminated its opponents.

The substitute lashed in after collecting a Mohamed Salah pass to leave the seven-time champions needing only a point from its last Group D game against Ghana -- which beat Mali 1-0 earlier in the day -- to go through.

Uganda, which had a Joseph Ochaya effort disallowed early in the second half, is the first team to be knocked out of this Cup of Nations after a second consecutive 1-0 defeat.

Egypt brought 44-year-old goalkeeper Essam El Hadary and Stoke City winger Ramadan Sobhi into its starting line-up but again Hector Cuper's side -- which drew 0-0 with Mali in its opening game -- lacked a creative edge.

Salah is supposed to give them that and the Roma man came closest for the Pharaohs in the first half, although a lifted ball from a tight angle drifted beyond the back post.

Faruku Miya fired wide for Uganda and it was from his cross that Ochaya turned the ball in at the back post in the 52nd minute, but the effort was disallowed.

The majority of the crowd in Port-Gentil, most of them Malians, had left the stadium after the day's first match and they did not miss much.

El Hadary had to palm away a Godfrey Walusimbi free-kick delivery, while El Said fired over and Trezeguet failed to seriously trouble Denis Onyango in the Uganda goal.

A goalless stalemate seemed inevitable until a sweeping Egyptian move in the 89th minute culminated in Salah teeing up El Said, whose low shot was too powerful for Onyango.