Abdallah El Said scored with a minute left as Egypt snatched a 1-0 win over Uganda on Saturday that leaves them on the verge of the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals and eliminated their opponents.

The substitute lashed in from a Mohamed Salah pass to leave the seven-time champions needing only a point from their last Group D game against Ghana — who beat Mali 1-0 earlier in the day — to go through.

“We tried to play good football but things perhaps did not turn out the way we wanted them to,” admitted Egypt coach Hector Cuper after a poor match on an awful surface.

“It was difficult on that pitch and in this climate but we won and that is the important thing.”

Uganda, who had a Joseph Ochaya effort disallowed early in the second half, are the first team to be knocked out of this Cup of Nations after a second consecutive 1-0 defeat.

Thanks to El Said’s heroics, Egypt head into Wednesday’s final Group D clash with already-qualified Ghana knowing they need only a point to qualify.