Egypt – England: UEFA Friendship Cup 2026 ¦ Group A ¦ Match 07

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We know that. That was really nice. Keep your eyes ready. Welcome to the UFA Friendship Cup 2026 between Egypt and England. Football has brought all of us together. This wonderful sport is based on respect on and off the pitch. By showing respect for the teams, referee and your fellow spectators, we make football a better game for everyone. remind you that there is no place for racism but only friendship. Plus This is more energy. [music] >> [music] >> with the freezing. [music] How you [music] know [music] the side >> [music] [music] >> There we go. >> [music] >> What's that? >> [music] [music] [music] [music] >> I'm done. All right. >> [music] >> I want to go on top. I get it. I think that's Please welcome the team of Egypt and England. [music] Egypt and England make their entrance for their second group [music] A fixture at the UEFA Friendship Cup. Welcome along. Both winners in the opening matches, although England start a point better off as Egypt needed penalties to prevail against Korea Republic in their opener after a two- draw. England 3-2 winners against Colombia can actually clinch top spot in the section and a place in the tournament final with a game to spare should they win this one. Inside the distance as well, Africa meets Europe on match day two in group A at this under 18 competition. And we've got the action on the way after we've heard the national anthems. foreign. [music] [music] >> [music] [music] [music] [music] >> Please remain standing for the National of Egypt. We understand. [music] [music] >> [music] [music] >> Hallelujah. Hallelujah. [music] Godlujah. [music] [music] [music] [music] Well, we're on pitch six at the Coll Sports Center in Neon, the venue for this under 18 competition, the WEF Friendship Cup, bringing together different countries, continents, and cultures where the emphasis is very much on development in terms of players. players and people a great opportunity to learn and a platform on which to impress. And we have quite a game to look forward to here. Already in this group, we've seen Colombia recover from opening defeat to England by beating Korea Republic 2-1 earlier today to sit second in the section. And in group B, Canada beat Kat Devoir on penalties after a one- all draw with Spain and Brazil meeting each other in that group a little bit later on. This is the third fixture of the four today. All eight competing nations featuring in four matches over the course of the competition which will come to a conclusion next weekend. But England having started impressively with that victory against Colombia in the box seat in this group. The fourth fixture that every team will play will be against the one that finishes in the same position in the other group. So to have a chance at lifting the trophy, top spot is required. Effectively, that will be the final and England could book their spot if they win this inside 90 minutes today. The way that other results have already gone. >> Well, this is a familiar site at the Friendship Cup. the joint team photo ahead of the game. Let's have a look at the team news. Four changes to the Egyptian side that started their opening match against Korea Republic, including a start for 16-year-old Muhammad Abide in goal. Abdalah Amar comes in as well. And there are also starts for the two Europeanbased players in their squad. Center back Amy Hassan is on the books at Dut Nay. And Ahmed Zaffran Abu Alles is highly rated at Monza in Italy and begins the game up front ahead of Khaled Mktar who scored their opening goal of the competition against the Koreans but begins this one on the bench. Julian Müller is today's referee. The local Swiss officials taking charge at this tournament. The 28-year-old has overseen four games in the Swiss second tier Challenger League this season. England coach Will Antwe has rung the changes from the match day one win over Colombia with only center back Marlo Barrett and captain Tyrese Nubisi keeping their places in the starting lineup from that game. Although competition rules dictate that everybody in the squad must get playing time across the four fixtures. Watch out for Ryan Kavuma McQueen who's already made a senior debut for Chelsea and is currently playing regularly in England's Championship on loan at Portsmouth. 16-year-old AJ Tavz of Barcelona. Here's another notable England starter. We are all set for the start in the afternoon sunshine in Neon just across the road from UEFA HQ. Staging this men's competition for the second season in succession. It is the third iteration of the UEFA Friendship Cup. The second game of it for these two nations awaits. Both in their traditional colors. It will be England in the white and blue to get the action underway on the say so of Julen Müller in a moment. Which of them can build on opening victories? Here we go then. England to get the action underway. From right to left will Anto's team in this first half. That's a very hesitant early touch which might let in Abules gets the shot away and down to make the save is Ben Vickery with a dozen seconds on the clock before the England goalkeeper was called into action. Victory brought into the team today in place of Roman Dal the 16year-old who began the game against Colombia. two goalkeepers in the 22 player squad for England, rotating that role. Victory is actually the more senior of the two at 17. He's just signed a first professional contract with Manchester City in the summer. He's also represented Scotland at under 16 level. It's the chance for what is an under 18 team for England. Egypt effectively fielding their under 17 side in this competition. number 17 side which has had significant success recently including at the Africa Cup of Nations in that age group in which they finished third in Morocco in June qualifying for the under 17 World Cup in Kata later this year. This tournament forming part of their preparations for that as well. They've conceded the early corner here. England, as you can see, have committed virtually everybody into the penalty area for it. Goes in low. Wasn't entirely dealt with. Back by Jake Wayne initially. Now the flag's gone up. A little bit of sorting out for the referee to do as well. It's a fairly prolonged conversation that is continuing between Julian Müller and the two players that he perceived to be the protagonist there. Will be a free kick for Mohamed Abbe to take in that Egyptian goal. The 16-year-old one of seven in their squad who plays his club football at Alley with their under 19 side. They know each other well. Hussein Abdel Latif is the head coach of Egypt and has restricted the changes in contrast to his opposing number will for this making just four alterations to the 11 that began the game against Korea Republic. England persisting in trying to play their way out from the back. Oliver Wilkinson who was a late call up to the squad making his under 18 debut today was the one that played it forward. Dile made good ground but has lost out. Now Sethwa he didn't have it for too long either. McQueen is getting back there doing his defensive duties and Egypt are pressing high here. England with very little time on the ball in and around their own penalty area does mean there will be space elsewhere if they can find it. had a really good run to Egypt at that under 17 AFCON. >> Beaten only on penalties by Tanzanir at the semi-final stage and then they claimed the the bronze medal with victory against Morocco, the host nation in the third place playoff. >> Only the fifth time actually that they'd reach the final stages of that competition. Marlo Barrett striding forward from center back. Here is Nubisi. Those are the only two that also started against Colombia on Thursday last time out in the competition. A couple of occasions where England have threatened early on down that flank without quite being able to reap any reward from it. Again, it's an Egyptian ball. Another chance for Abay to clear it away. He was one of only two players in their squad who didn't feature on match day one. The two reserve goalkeepers remained on the bench. Everybody else got minutes in the match to nine changes permitted given up by Vicory. And I touched on it earlier. Competition rules do dictate that everybody gets game time across the four fixtures that each country will play. The idea being that every squad member will have at least 90 minutes to their name at the end of the tournament. Of course, it's not just about what happens on the pitch here. There's a big emphasis on the education as well and experience with sessions laid on by UEFA. visits to the local area as well. The country is also becoming part of the the community whilst they're here. A real camaraderie developing between all of the competing countries as well, fostering friendships and off the field that hopefully will last a lifetime. >> This is promising. Abules with back to goal bringing Gamal into it and he does deliver the cross. It's a little deep. Chance to keep it alive on that far side though. Smith just reaching it first and getting it back again. It tends to keep on coming back at England in that part of the pitch. Egypt here do retreat first into their own half and now all the way back to again in goal to keep hold of possession. They have had plenty of the ball in the opening exchanges. The pharaohs trip of nearly 5,000 kilometers for them >> to Neon in this part of Switzerland. Great experience for the young players, many of whom haven't previously played outside of their own nations. >> So, plenty queuing up in the middle as the free kick comes in. Defended the initial ball well. They still got work to do here. It had just been kept in play. Delay able to come away with that and glides through the gears very quickly. Covered a lot of ground before running into trouble in the form of Muhammad Aled. The right back stepping in and then getting the benefit of any doubt from the referee. just wants a little word with who go dila of Leicester City playing for their under21 side for the first time this season having risen through the ranks. He signed his first professional contract with the club in the summer. Club of course now in the third tier of English football but Delila is one that they have very high hopes for in the not tooistant future. >> Came off the bench in the opening game against Colombia. Gets the start today. They got three to aim for in the middle. It was behind a lot of them, but then did sit up for the strike. The initial touch from Muhammad Gamma just to tee up the shot. Didn't quite fall for him to get it away, but it did for Daniel Tamer and he couldn't quite keep it down. Little glimpse of goal though for Egypt who will be encouraged by how this has started. >> Effectively that we don't do draws in the UEFA Friendship Cup. If it's level after 90 minutes, both teams will get a point, but there will be an extra point available for the winners of a penalty shootout that was claimed earlier today if you were with us by Canada against Kavoir and indeed by Egypt against Korea Republic in their first fixture in this group. >> Finished in a 2-2 draw. They conceded the equalizer did Egypt to Kang of Korea in stoppage time. Scored all four of their penalties. Wilkinson back to his goalkeeper, his club colleague Ben Vickery of Manchester City. >> We have four representatives in this England squad at this competition. Two of them in the back four playing in front of Vicory today because Jake Wayne coming in at right back is a secondyear scholar at City as well. He signed professionally in the summer. He >> captains their under 18 team in the Premier League. Was a little risky. >> Was putting the pressure on. Tavz then tries to come away with it. Didn't get too far. 16-year-old AJ Tavarez who swapped Norwich City for Barcelona in February was a late call up into this England squad for the competition in place of Jeremy Monga withdrew through injury. The former Leicester teenager who signed for Manchester City in the summer and was then loan to Swansea. Initially the plan was for him to play in this tournament. Five players in total having to pull out just prior to the competition getting underway on Thursday. Marley Salmon of Arsenal, the center back, was another with first team club level experience, sidelined just before the the start of the action. >> Most recent addition to the squad was Wilkinson. and he's lining up at left back today. Center back really by trade at Ipswich Town. He got the call because of an injury to lead United's Jacob Howard. It's the day or so actually before the first fixture. the players who got the England goals against Colombia. Both watching on from the bench at the start of this game. Michael Mills opened the scoring to shade Mensa Greenwood took over with two. They see them later trying to fend off the attentions of Abules or Zaffran as he's known on the the team sheet. There's >> in the prima vera for Monza at under 20 level. >> Big prospect. >> Goes Dvarez and he's done really well initially anyway. Did take three to stop him but the Egyptian defense combined to thwart a way through. >> Will try again maybe here. >> Much room in which to work for him. Leon Smith on the ball, but the referee has stepped in. A fairly closely fought opening to the contest, hasn't it? Not too much between the teams. It's Muhammad Al who had the issue for Egypt. Conversation continuing between he and referee Müller. He had stayed down by the corner flag >> indicating he had a a problem which might still need attending too given the way that he's headed to the touch line for a change of shirt by the looks of things. So they're temporarily down to 10. England take advantage. >> Wilkinson the target did get a touch to it. Dvarz taking over now. Del footwork from him but plenty in the way in red as well. Wilkinson to Barrett. It's Jake Wayne to Vuma McQueen. Oh, he's going to get his shot away. Oh, that is brilliant. What a strike to open the scoring for England. Ryan Kavuma McQueen, >> enhancing his rapidly rising reputation. He's playing regularly in England second here on loan at Portsmouth this season. Already a goal scorer in the championship. Already made his senior Chelsea debut. That is some goal, isn't it? had to be spectacular to score from there and it certainly was and England ahead against Egypt with a quarter of an hour on the clock. >> Well, he watched on from the bench unused against Colombia but Kavuma McQueen getting his chance here and seizing it already. >> Made his Chelsea debut off the bench in a 7-0 FA Cup quarterfinal win against Port Vale last season. and he has been on their Premier League bench on a couple of occasions. He went on their preseason senior tour of Australia and Asia in the summer, made the bench on a couple of occasions in the Champions League last season as well. He started for Portsmouth last weekend at Blackburn Rovers. He scored for them in the 3-1 win at Lincoln City last month and he scored for England's under8s here. before they can get the game restarted. There is a stoppage because of an Egyptian injury. So it gives England just a chance to to take stock of the situation and look to push on from the platform that Kavuma McQueen has provided for them. He's been a regular goal scorer for England in the the younger age ranges. He scored nine times in 13 caps for the under 16s and nine goals in just six caps for the under 15s. currently at under 17 level. He's got eight goals in six appearances. Four of them in that remarkable 75 friendly victory against Germany a year ago. So no surprise to see him have an immediate impact at the UEFA Friendship Cup. So here we go then. Egypt looking to respond after the stoppage that followed the concession. Hadn't been much between them until that moment >> and it certainly couldn't be classed as a clearcut chance for Kavuma McQueen but he took it wonderfully. >> Tvarez took two to stop him. important that Egypt don't let heads drop after going behind because they were certainly England's equals until that moment. So no need for them to deviate from the game plan. A test of character really in these next few minutes. Sad will just reach that ahead of Tvarez. Chase on for Tamer on that far side. Though he did well to reach it, he was also well marshaled and as a result of that really runs out of room. Big opportunity for England here to really take complete control of group A. Win this inside the 90. They will go to to six points. Only Colombia could move level with them on match day three. But England of course have already beaten the Colombians and head-to-head is the first factor in deciding any tie break. So England would be through to the final game with a match to spare. We still have Korea Republic to play on that Wednesday. Game time is as important really as progress in the the Friendship Cup. Everybody guaranteed four matches and that playoff fixture against the country that finishes in the same respective position in the other group. The two runners up will meet each other in what is effectively a third place playoff and so on and so forth. Becoming a familiar format now in the third season of this competition. Sure, we'll see plenty of changes as the game goes on as well. As I mentioned, nine allowed per team in each game. >> They got numbers forward again. Egypt displaying plenty of attacking intent in the early stages and they will get the corner kick out of this one. chance to bring the likes of Allah and Hassan up from the back. >> They brought everybody back to defend it. So in goes the corner and it was a good one. Evaded the posy of England players on the post and then cleared away from off the line. That was a huge scare >> dealt with by England but only just. >> It was the center back Allah who returned it. >> And I think it was his central defensive colleague Amy Hassa who returned it goalwoods only to see that one cleared decisively from off the goal line. And up come England at the other end with Tvarez. Goes down. No penalty says the referee. Not too much by way of a protest in fairness from AJ Tavvarez. Also holds a a Portuguese passport that aided his move to Barcelona at the age of just 16. Wouldn't have been possible otherwise. He left Norwich City early in the year. currently playing with Barca's under 19 squad. I think signed a two and a half year contract there. Ule will reach this points it back in towards Kavuma McQueen. He's still got it. Tried to get his shot away. We've seen what he can do when he's able to to manage that. This time they're thwarted by the flag in the end. going up I think against Ugo Delay when it came his way. No surprise though to see Kafuma McQueen starring in this side. Scored on a couple of occasions in the under 18 Premier League National Final for Chelsea against Manchester City at Stanford Bridge last season. featured in the under21 side that finished top of the pile in Premier League 2 as well. >> His goal the difference at the midway point of the first half in this match day two fixture clears it away. He gets decent distance on that >> to get Zafran away. >> Varezy quickly onto it and reached it as well without quite being able to reap any reward for his persistence and indeed his speed. Sad huge crossfield ball. >> Still a chance in the middle. The referee had waved away any appeals, but there just seemed to be a little bit of hesitation from those in red because of that and therefore they couldn't quite capitalize. >> Mohamed Gamal getting into some dangerous areas down the right. He's back playing in his preferred position today on that right wing. The 16-year-old having deputized at left back in the opening game against Korea Republic certainly showing his versatility. >> It's a good ball. Still scrapping for it. Sarez didn't keep it in. Not quite. Referee says throw. Looking to get Phoenix a fire into the game. came off the bench on his 17th birthday o