Egypt and Zambia Triumph as Cote d’Ivoire Struggles at FIFA U17 World Cup
Egypt and Zambia secured convincing victories at the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Qatar, while Cote d’Ivoire faced a difficult defeat in their opening group matches.
Egypt Lead Group E After Strong Win
Egypt claimed a confident 4-1 victory over Haiti, placing them at the top of Group E ahead of Venezuela, who defeated England 3-0. The North African team displayed a well-balanced attack with four different scorers: Belal Attia, Abdelaziz El Zoghby, Hamza Abdelkarim, and Omar Kamal. Their next challenge will be against Venezuela on Friday in a pivotal group matchup.
Zambia Fight Back to Beat Indonesia
In Group H, Zambia came from behind to beat Indonesia 3-1. They struck three times within six first-half minutes. Forward Abel Nyirongo scored twice, and Lukonde Mwale added the third. Zambia will next face Honduras on Friday, as Honduras look to recover from a heavy 7-0 defeat by Brazil.
Cote d’Ivoire Outclassed by Switzerland
Cote d’Ivoire endured a tough 4-1 loss to Switzerland in Group F. Hubert Yao managed a late consolation goal after the Ivorians trailed by four. Their upcoming match against Mexico on Friday will be crucial after Mexico also lost 2-1 to South Korea.
Competition Format
The two top teams from each group advance automatically to the Round of 32, accompanied by the eight best third-placed sides, ensuring multiple paths to progression in the tournament.
“Egypt and Zambia made bright starts in their campaigns, but Cote d’Ivoire will need quick recovery to stay in contention.”
Author’s Summary: Egypt and Zambia began their World Cup journeys with dominant wins, while Cote d’Ivoire face an uphill battle to advance after a disappointing opener.