Mohamed Salah was once again the hero for Egypt, firing his side into the knockout stages of the Africa Cup of Nations with a first-half penalty that secured a gritty 1-0 victory over South Africa in Agadir on Friday.
Salah Strikes as Egypt Weather the Storm
The decisive moment in the Group B clash arrived when the Egyptian superstar was caught in the face by South African defender Khuliso Mudau during a tussle in the penalty area. Salah calmly stepped up to convert the spot-kick for his second goal of the tournament, demonstrating his trademark composure under pressure.
Egypt's task was complicated just before half-time when right-back Mohamed Hany received a straight red card for a dangerous stamp. Playing with ten men for the entire second period, Egypt were forced to withstand relentless pressure from South Africa, who pushed hard for an equaliser.
The Pharaohs' defence held firm, surviving a major scare when a lengthy VAR review checked a potential handball penalty for South Africa, which was ultimately not given. The resilient rearguard action ensured Egypt claimed all three points.
Group B Standings and Implications
With this result, Egypt became the first team to guarantee their place in the tournament's knockout phase. They now sit atop Group B with a perfect six points from their opening two matches and cannot finish outside the top two.
South Africa remain in contention with three points, but will be ruing missed opportunities in a match they dominated for long spells after the red card. The battle for the second qualification spot is now firmly on.
Angola and Zimbabwe Share Spoils in Tense Draw
Earlier in the day, Angola and Zimbabwe played out a 1-1 draw, with each nation earning their first point of the competition. The result, however, leaves both teams facing a steep challenge to avoid early elimination.
Angola took the lead in the 24th minute through striker Gelson Dala, who latched onto a clever chipped pass from To Carneiro and finished at the near post. The first half was marred by a significant delay after Angola goalkeeper Hugo Marques suffered a cut above his eye following a clash of heads.
Despite being bandaged up, Marques was beaten in the sixth minute of first-half stoppage time. Zimbabwe's veteran forward Knowledge Musona found the net to level the scores just before the interval.
The second half saw Angola defender David Carmo become the saviour, clearing the ball off his own line twice in a frantic minute. He first denied substitute Tawanda Chirewa after a save from Marques, and then made a crucial interception from the resulting corner to stop Gerald Takwara.
Both teams now face must-win final group matches to keep their Afcon dreams alive. Angola are set for a daunting encounter with group leaders Egypt in Agadir on Monday, while Zimbabwe will take on their neighbours South Africa in Marrakech at the same time.
