U23 Afcon: Africa reacts to Egypt's controversial penalty and Tokyo Olympic qualification
Egypt beat South Africa 3-0 in the U23 Afcon semi-finals on Tuesday night.
They have booked their place in the final against Ivory Coast on Friday, and also confirmed their ticket to the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics.
We have a look at how football fans from around the continent reacted to Egypt's overwhelming result, as it took nearly an hour for the hosts to score the first goal.
The big talking point on social media was that Egypt shouldn't have been awarded a penalty because Thendo Mukumela handled the ball outside the box.
Ramadan Sobhi went on to score from the spot in the 59th minute.
Many fans are complaining about the refereeing in the match, posting on Twitter which decisions they were strongly against.
There are also a number of tweets supporting Egypt, celebrating their progress or believing the hosts were the superior side in any case.
Abdel Magdy scored a brace late in the game when South Africa were desperately attempting to claw their way back into the match.
GOAL #Egypt Scores 2nd vs #SouthAfrica U23 #AFCONU23 Semi Final qualifying to #Tokyo olympics 2020 pic.twitter.com/GXy4YbcNdA
— Egypt Built 🇪🇬 (@HosamDakhakhni) November 19, 2019
Watching #Egypt vs #SouthAfrica U23 #AFCONU23 Semi Final qualifying to #Tokyo olympics 2020 pic.twitter.com/irsQC4qSg1
— Egypt Built 🇪🇬 (@HosamDakhakhni) November 19, 2019
U23 Caf Egypt vs South Africa two atrocious referee decisions and bafana are hard done
— Nick O.Kasera (@motowntz) November 19, 2019
89' Egypt U23 3-0 South Africa U23 #AFCONU23
— DiskiAfrika (@DiskiAfrika) November 19, 2019
84' ⚽ R. Magdy adds the second goal for the Pharaohs. Egypt 🇪🇬 2 South Africa 🇿🇦 0 #AFCONU23 ^KM pic.twitter.com/8QK7orv7Ii
— KBC Channel1 News (@KBCChannel1) November 19, 2019
GOOOOOAL!
— N U H U 🐝 (@NuhuAdams_) November 19, 2019
Abdelrahman Magdy gets a brace
Egypt 🇪🇬 3-0 🇿🇦 South Africa #TotalAFCONU23 #EGYRSA
Ooh my word! A huge nightmare for Darren Johnson! Abdel Rahman gets his second! Egypt 3-0 South Africa. #TotalAFCONU23 #Egypt #EGYRSA
— Samuel Gitahi (@SammyGitahi7) November 19, 2019
Perfect ! Egypt surely ease past South Africa 3-0 and make it 4wins out of 4. No African side deserve to be in Tokyo than the hosts. Now Ghana will have to beat gritty South Africa in 3rd place to qualify
— Yaw Osagyefo Anaman (@anaman_osagyefo) November 19, 2019
Thank you Egypt. Thank you for giving us South Africa. We really appreciate it. https://t.co/ybi390ZozM
— The Writeous One (@KwesiiAsomadu) November 19, 2019
Wow! This referee is literally trying his most to get #Egypt into the finals. He wrongly awarded a penalty against #SouthAfrica and also denied them a genuine penalty. Absolutely poor officiating 😟
— PrInCe! (@PrinceBrobb) November 19, 2019
Just hope CAF President Ahmed Ahmed is the watching the semi finals between Egypt and South Africa!!!!!Herh!!! Africa Referees paaaa de333. A legit penalty he did not give but....gave the other one to Egypt 😡😡😂😂😂
— Ato Yankey Israel (@ato_israel) November 19, 2019
@CAF_Online I feel this AF23 tournament has been made for Egypt 🇪🇬 because the reff against South Africa has been so poor.. Making all the decisions for Egypt
— KEM Gh... (@Ezekiel_MK) November 19, 2019
#TotalAFCONU23 Ghana got cheated b by referee earlier on ...now South Africa is also getting cheated for Egypt to progress
— Michael A. Parry 🇬 (@MichaelparryGh) November 19, 2019
Ramadan Sobhi scores from the spot to give Egypt a 1-0 lead against South Africa #TotalAFCONU23
— @Kinaata Adict (@MistarHAT) November 19, 2019
This referee officiating the u23 match between egypt and south africa should be banned for life
— Geoffrey Oduor (@babaashnell) November 19, 2019
A case that really needed VAR gives Egypt a penalty well converted by Ramadan Sobhy
— Mohamed Qotub (@MohQutob) November 19, 2019
Egypt 1: 0 South Africa#U23AFCON
When will African referees stop cheating for the home teams.
— BLESSED O.J 😘🇬🇭❤ (@blessedoj84) November 19, 2019
This is total cheat@CAF_Online are you watching this shameless ref!@SouthAfrica @ghanafaofficial #BringBackTheLove#AFCONU23#Egypt #EGYRSA #BlessedOJ
60':It is a penalty for Egypt as a South African defender handled the ball! Ramadan Ahmed converts it and the stadium erupts! Egypt 1-0 South Africa
— tayOgunseye (@tayOgunseye) November 19, 2019
South Africa really about to bamboozle Egypt at home in an AFCON agaim😂 https://t.co/2I87ddoyxM
— KING ROY (@DonRoyz) November 19, 2019