Having secured top spot with a game to spare, Egypt coach Hossam Hassan might have hoped for a more impressive attacking performance from his second string with the pressure off.
Mostafa Mohamed, who netted four goals at the 2023 finals, used an early overhead kick to supply Hossam Abdelmaguid in front of goal, only for the centre-back to loop a header high over the target.
Gelson Dala and Show scored Angola’s goals against South Africa and Zimbabwe but both made way as coach Patrice Beaumelle made seven changes, almost seeing his side go ahead when Chico Banza played a slick one-two with Mabululu on his way inside the box and dragged a low drive wide.
Hassan’s changes came at the end of a half in which neither side had an effort on target, although the reliably creative Fredy caused Mostafa Shobeir to parry a thunderous shot from distance that was heading narrowly wide.
The Palancas Negras captain looked the likeliest player to give his side the breakthrough they needed, lifting another strike from outside the box into Shobeir’s arms before his free-kick beat the goalkeeper but not the woodwork.
Salah Mohsen was prone on the turf in disbelief at the other end after almost prodding in Zizo’s cross with the goal gaping in a move that was deemed offside, and the Al Ahly winger then dithered on the ball in space to allow Rui Modesto to make a crucial intervention with an excellent tackle.
M’Bala Nzola hit the side-netting for Angola after a surging run during the closing stages and Hamdi Fathy sent a rasping attempt narrowly over for Egypt, whose failings will leave Hassan relieved to restore his feared first-choice strike force for the knockout stage.
Angola were quarter-finalists at the last Afcon in 2023, and the decision to replace long-serving Pedro Goncalves in September appears to have backfired after disjointed showings in Morocco.
No third-placed finisher has gone through with fewer than three points since Afcon expanded to a 24-team format in 2019.
