| Aguero sets up Argentina win over Egypt |
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| Thursday, 27 March 2008 | |
 CAIRO (Reuters) - Sergio Aguero set Argentina on their way to a 2-0 victory over African champions Egypt in a friendly on Wednesday. Defender Nicolas Burdisso added the second with his first international goal as Argentina made light of the absence of the injured Lionel Messi and Juan Roman Riquelme. Egypt were fielding virtually the same team which beat Cameroon in the Nations Cup final in Ghana one month ago. Argentina took early control with Luis Gonzalez shooting across the face of the goal in the first minute. They were close again with a Martin Demichelis header and a Maxi Rodriguez lob which was cleared off the line by Hani Said. As Egypt fought their way into the game, Mohamed Zidan intercepted a clearance by Roberto Abbondanzieri and tried his luck with a 30-metre lob which was saved by the Argentine goalkeeper. Zidan was close again early in the second half as he chested down a pass, cut inside his marker and shot narrowly wide of the right-hand post with Abbondanzieri beaten. Mohamed Aboutrika wasted an excellent chance for Egypt when, after being found unmarked on the penalty spot by Ahmed Fathi, he shot weakly at Abbondanzieri. Argentina’s makeshift strike partnership of Julio Cruz and Aguero rarely threatened until the 64th minute when Aguero swept the ball wide from inside the area. The breakthrough came two minutes later, when a long ball forward eluded the Egypt defence and found Aguero. The 19-year-old Atletico Madrid player burst into the penalty area and fired into the roof of the net. Rodriguez tested Essam Al Hadari with a low 30-metre shot and Aguero wasted a chance for a second when he shot wide from a free position after Fernando Gago had opened up the Pharaohs’ defence. Argentina, now in firm control, added a second in the 85th minute when Burdisso scored with a looping header at the far post after being picked out by Rodriguez’s free kick. (Writing by Brian Homewood in Rio de Janeiro, Editing by Trevor Huggins) |
