DOHA — Led by head coach Ahmed El-Kass, Egypt’s U-17 national team is gearing up for a decisive showdown against England in their final FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2025 group-stage encounter, as they look to clinch a spot in the knockout stages.
The Young Pharaohs will lock horns with the Young Lions at 5:45pm Cairo Local Time on Monday, in what promises to be a high-stakes finale to Group E. Elsewhere in the group, Venezuela, levels on points with Egypt, will meet Haiti, who has already been eliminated following two straight defeats.
This year’s tournament marks the first-ever U-17 World Cup featuring 48 teams, split into 12 groups of four. The top two from each group, along with the best eight third-placed sides, will advance to the Round of 32, which kicks off next Friday.
Egypt stays on top
After launching their campaign with a dominant 4-1 win over Haiti, Egypt faced a sterner test against an in-form Venezuelan side that had stunned England 3-0 in their opener.
At Aspire Academy Stadium in Doha, Venezuela took the lead in the 18th minute through Marcos Maitan, who finished off a precise cross from close range.
Despite trailing at the break, the Young Pharaohs regrouped impressively and drew level in the 53rd minute. Striker Hamza Abdel Karim soared above the defense to nod a superb cross from Muhannad Al-Shami, restoring parity with a powerful header.
The 1-1 draw lifted Egypt to four points from two matches — one ahead of England and levels with Venezuela, who trails only on goal difference. Haiti, having conceded 12 goals in two outings, remains bottom of the group without a point.
With this result, Egypt holds their fate in their own hands — needing just a positive outcome against England to secure progression to the next round.
Egypt’s goalkeeper Omar Abdel Aziz, who produced a vital first-half save to deny Venezuela a second goal, praised his teammates’ spirit after the match.
“Thanks be to God for everything. We promise the Egyptian fans they’ll be proud of us,” he told Qatari broadcaster Al-Kass.
Midfielder Ibrahim Al-Nagaaoui almost snatched a late winner in the 87th minute, while Bilal Atiya lauded the supporters’ energy: “We thank the fans for their incredible support. We’ll need them behind us again against England — our goal is to reach the Round of 32.”
Named Player of the Match, Egyptian striker Abdel Karim put on a commanding display — his aerial power, tireless pressing, and clinical equaliser were pivotal in earning the Young Pharaohs a hard-fought point.
The dynamic forward not only scored the equaliser but also proved a constant menace for the opposition defense, combining flair and determination to secure a valuable point for his side.
El-Kass lauds players
Egypt U-17 head coach Ahmed El-Kass commended his players for their fighting spirit following their hard-fought draw with Venezuela at the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2025.
“It was a very tough match. We faced a strong Venezuelan side that had already beaten England on the opening day, and it became even harder after we were reduced to 10 players for more than 30 minutes,” El-Kass told FIFA.com.
The 60-year-old tactician also expressed gratitude to the Egyptian fans who turned out in large numbers to support the team in Doha.
“I must thank our fans — we have a lot of supporters here in Qatar. All the players did an excellent job against an opponent I believe will go far in this tournament,” he added.
Qualification scenarios
As the Young Pharaohs prepare for their decisive showdown with England, several qualification routes remain open for Egypt heading into the final round of Group E action at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar.
To qualify as group leaders: Egypt’s clearest route to the top is a win over England, coupled with Venezuela dropping points against Haiti.
Should both Egypt and Venezuela emerge victorious, the group winner will be decided by goal difference, meaning Egypt must secure a convincing result to stay ahead in the standings.
To qualify as runners-up: If Venezuela defeat Haiti, Egypt can still progress comfortably by winning or drawing against England.
A draw would see Egypt advance in second place with five points, while a strong win could even lift them to first place, depending on Venezuela’s margin of victory.
To qualify as one of best third-placed teams: If Egypt lose to England and Venezuela beat Haiti, the Young Pharaohs would finish third in Group E.
Even then, with four points, they would remain in contention for one of the eight best third-placed spots, a scenario that could still see them through to the Round of 32.
If two or more teams finish level on points, FIFA regulations stipulate that rankings are determined by the points earned in matches between the tied sides, followed by the goal difference in those head-to-head encounters.
