Mohamed Salah’s penalty proved decisive as ten-man Egypt secured a narrow 1-0 victory over South Africa in their second Group B fixture at the Africa Cup of Nations 2025 in Morocco. The crucial spot-kick, awarded after a VAR review, propelled the Pharaohs to the top of their group and confirmed their passage to the knockout stages.
The match, held at the Adrar Stadium in Agadir, saw both teams struggling to establish early dominance, with attacking play characterized by a lack of precision. Egypt’s Omar Marmoush came close with a curling free-kick that narrowly missed the post, while South Africa’s Lyle Foster tested goalkeeper Mohammed El Shanawy with a tame effort.
The defining moment arrived just before halftime when the referee consulted VAR over a challenge in the penalty area. Khuliso Mudau was adjudged to have fouled Mohamed Salah, leading to the penalty that the Liverpool star coolly converted in the 45th minute. This marked Salah’s second goal of the tournament.
Egypt’s task became significantly harder moments later when Mohamed Hanny received a second yellow card for a mistimed tackle on Teboho Mokoena, leaving his team a man down for the entire second half. This presented South Africa, also known as Bafana Bafana, with a clear opportunity to equalize.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, Egypt’s defense held firm, repelling South Africa’s attempts to find the back of the net. Coach Hugo Broos’ side were unable to capitalize on their extra player, ultimately failing to break down a resilient Egyptian backline.
With this win, seven-time AFCON champions Egypt have amassed six points from their opening two matches, becoming the first nation to secure a place in the round of 16. In the other Group B encounter, Angola and Zimbabwe played out a 1-1 draw, leaving both teams with one point each.
