The North African giants, Egypt, became the first side to punch their ticket to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations knockout stages, surviving a grueling encounter against South Africa in Agadir. A solitary penalty from Mohamed Salah was enough to separate the sides, but the narrow scoreline belies a match defined by VAR drama and a desperate defensive stand.
Salah, the Liverpool talisman whose build-up to the tournament was clouded by a public spat with club manager Arne Slot, showed no signs of distraction when it mattered most. On the stroke of halftime, he stepped up to the spot after a VAR review confirmed he had been caught in the eye by a stray arm from Khuliso Mudau. With the weight of a nation on his shoulders, Salah coolly sent Ronwen Williams the wrong way.
However, the Pharaohs’ joy was short-lived. In the chaotic moments of first-half stoppage time, right-back Mohamed Hany was given his marching orders after a reckless stamp on Teboho Mokoena. The second yellow card forced Egypt into a tactical retreat that would last the remainder of the afternoon.
The second half belonged to South Africa’s Bafana Bafana, who pinned the seven-time champions into their own box for long stretches. The statistics painted a picture of total dominance: 16 shots and seven on target for the South Africans, yet the equalizer proved elusive.
Age-defying goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy turned back the clock, pulling off a string of acrobatic saves, most notably tipping a low Lyle Foster drive around the post fifteen minutes from time. The final whistle brought a roar of relief from the predominantly Egyptian crowd at the Adrar Stadium, as the 10-man Pharaohs secured their second consecutive win in Group B.
Earlier in the day, the group’s other contenders, Angola and Zimbabwe, played out a tense 1-1 draw in Marrakesh. Gelson Dala had given Angola an early lead, but the veteran Knowledge Musona struck back deep in first-half added time to ensure the points were shared. The result leaves both sides with just a single point, two adrift of South Africa.
For Egypt, the path forward is clear. With six points from two matches, they are mathematically guaranteed a top-two finish. For South Africa, the road is steeper, but their dominant performance despite the loss suggests they remain a formidable threat in the race for the Round of 16.
