AGADIR, El Sky News – Mohamed Salah converted a crucial first-half penalty to guide Egypt to a hard-fought 1-0 victory over South Africa on Friday. The win ensures the Pharaohs become the first team to secure a place in the knockout stages of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The Defining Moment The decisive goal arrived in the first half after South African defender Khuliso Mudau fouled Salah inside the area. The Liverpool star made no mistake from the spot, calmly slotting home his 65th international goal and his second of the tournament currently being hosted in Morocco.
With this result, Egypt sits comfortably at the top of Group B with six points from two matches, guaranteeing their progression with one group game to spare.
Resilience Under Pressure The match took a dramatic turn just before the interval when Egyptian right-back Mohamed Hany was shown a straight red card for a reckless challenge. Forced to play with only 10 men for the entire second half, Egypt adopted a defensive stance to weather a relentless South African onslaught.
Despite Hugo Broos’ side dominating possession and launching 17 attempts in the second period, they failed to find an equalizer. South Africa’s frustrations were compounded when a lengthy VAR review dismissed their appeals for a penalty following an alleged handball by an Egyptian defender.
Heroics in Goal Egypt’s victory was largely preserved by goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy, who produced several world-class saves. He notably denied Khuliso Mudau’s goal-bound effort and thwarted Aubrey Modiba after a clever setup by Lyle Foster.
The defeat marks South Africa’s first competitive loss under manager Hugo Broos in nearly two years. While Egypt celebrates their advancement, South Africa remains on three points, keeping the race for the remaining qualification spots alive alongside Zimbabwe and Angola.
