Egypt and Zambia Triumph, Cote d’Ivoire Struggles at FIFA U17 World Cup
Egypt and Zambia celebrated convincing victories at the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Qatar on Tuesday, while Cote d’Ivoire faced a setback in their campaign for the knockout rounds.
Egypt Dominate Group E
Egypt secured a commanding 4-1 win over Haiti, taking the top spot in Group E ahead of Venezuela, who defeated England 3-0. The Egyptian side impressed with four different scorers—Belal Attia, Abdelaziz El Zoghby, Hamza Abdelkarim, and Omar Kamal—highlighting their balance and depth early in the tournament.
The North African team will meet Venezuela on Friday in what may decide the group’s leadership.
Zambia Come From Behind in Group H
Zambia earned a 3-1 win over Indonesia after overturning an early deficit. They struck three quick goals within six first-half minutes—two from Abel Nyirongo and one from Lukonde Mwale. This energetic display places Zambia in a strong position before their upcoming match against Honduras, who suffered a heavy 7-0 defeat to Brazil.
Cote d’Ivoire Fall to Switzerland in Group F
Cote d’Ivoire experienced a tough start as they lost 4-1 to an efficient Switzerland side. The Ivorians trailed 4-0 before Hubert Yao scored a late consolation goal.
The West Africans will next face Mexico on Friday. Both teams are seeking recovery after Mexico’s 2-1 defeat to South Korea in their opening match.
Tournament Outlook
The top two teams from each group will automatically advance to the Round of 32, while the eight best third-placed teams will also progress, giving several nations hope for advancement.
“Egypt and Zambia showed confidence and attacking power, while Cote d’Ivoire must regroup quickly to stay in contention.”
Summary: Egypt and Zambia opened their FIFA U17 campaigns with emphatic wins, as Cote d’Ivoire stumbled against Switzerland but remain in contention for the knockout stages.