Egypt set up African clash

Egypt's Abou El Magd is put under pressure by Rahamat Mustapha

Egypt 2-1 Netherlands

Goals by Mohamed El Yamany and Hussein Amin earned Egypt a deserved 2-1 win over a weak Netherlands side to take them into the semi-finals of the Under-20 World Cup.

Egypt will play Ghana on Wednesday to ensure one African team in the final as the continent tries to lift the title for the first time.

Host and three-time champion Argentina face Paraguay in the other semi-final in Buenos Aires, and Egypt will be painfully aware of a 7-1 defeat by the favourites in their group games.

The Pharaohs have improved a lot since then and dazzled the Dutch with exciting footwork and imaginative attacks.

The first real chance came just before the half hour when Wael Reyad raced to the byline and put over a high cross which hit the far post and bounced out.

Gave lead away

Egypt were doing all the attacking but gave the lead away on 33 minutes when keeper Mohamed Sobhi dropped to his knees to block a header from Rafael van der Vaart but let the ball slip from his hands and over the line.

Reyad tormented the Dutch defence

It allowed the Dutch to mass in defence, but Egypt levelled a minute after half-time when Amin scored from close range after El Yamany's goalward header was only half-cleared.

Things got worse for the Dutch in the 56th minute when they were left with 10 men after Van der Vaart was sent off for a foul on Reyad as the Egyptian raced toward goal.

El Yamany secured Egypt's semi-final berth in the 69th minute when he received the ball on the left edge of the area and went past two defenders before burying a shot beneath Coutinho to make it 2-1.

Realising they faced elimination, the Dutch came alive in the final 10 minutes and piled the pressure on but the Egyptians held their ground and were relieved when the Dutch went down to nine men as John Heitingar was dismissed in injury time.

The Pharoahs have now chalked up solid victories over Finland, USA and now the Netherlands, only conceding two goals, since the hammering by the host nation.

Egypt: Mohamed Sobhi, Abou El Magd, Mahmoud, Mohamed El Atrawy, Mohamed Shawky, Wael Reyad (Azmy Amir 94), Reda Shehata (Mohamed Abdelwahed 46), Mohamed El Yamany, Hossam Ghali, Ahmed Abou Moslem, Gamal Hamza (Mahmoud 86).