With Mo Salah in sensational form, can he inspire Egypt to glory this time?
Mohamed Salah's penalty was struck like a rocket but crashed back off the crossbar.
For a split-second, it looked as if the Egyptian star was about to miss his second spot-kick in the space of a week, having failed for Liverpool against Newcastle on New Year's Day.
Technically this one still counted as a miss but it rebounded off the woodwork, struck the goalkeeper's backside and went in.
Salah was too embarrassed to celebrate but maybe it's a good omen, a sign fortune is on Egypt's side this time.
Alternatively, those who worship Salah in his homeland will hope his misses are now out of the way in this Africa Cup of Nations warm-up against Tanzania rather than in the tournament itself.
This will be Salah's fourth AFCON. Twice he has suffered the pain of defeat in the final. But maybe international glory finally awaits a man who has won all the major club honours with Liverpool.
Egypt begin their campaign against Mozambique on Sunday, with Ghana and Cape Verde alongside them in Group B.
They will be expected to go deep into the tournament, especially given the exceptional form their captain Salah is in after 18 goals and nine assists for Liverpool this season.
But the record seven-time champions of Africa are still viewed by many pundits as a work in progress and for that reason the bookmakers have them only fifth favourite behind reigning champions Senegal, World Cup heroes Morocco, hosts Ivory Coast and Algeria.
As ever, much will rest on Salah's shoulders if Egypt are to end a 14-year wait for the trophy.
His first taste of the AFCON came in Gabon in 2017. Egypt had embarrassingly failed to qualify for the three editions before that despite winning in 2006, 2008 and 2010.
They made amends by topping a stultifying group which
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