Mohamed Salah has emphatically pushed speculation about his club future to the background, delivering a match-winning performance for Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations to secure their place in the tournament's knockout stages.
Salah Steps Up as Egypt's Saviour Again
The Liverpool forward, who also scored a dramatic late winner in Egypt's opening 2-1 victory over Zimbabwe, was once again the decisive figure in a tense 1-0 win over South Africa in Agadir. The result, coupled with other Group B results, means Egypt have secured six points from two games and have won the group with a game to spare.
Controversial Penalty Decides Tense Clash
The only goal of a fiercely contested match came from the penalty spot in the first half. Salah won the penalty himself after being caught in the face by South Africa defender Khuliso Mudau as they challenged for the ball inside the box. After a brief moment to recover, the 33-year-old captain stepped up and calmly converted his spot-kick straight down the middle for his second goal of the tournament.
That strike marks Salah's 65th goal at international level, further cementing his legendary status for The Pharaohs. The match's complexion shifted dramatically just before half-time when Egypt's right back, Mohamed Hany, was shown a straight red card for an ugly stamp.
Egypt Hold Firm Despite Second-Half Onslaught
Playing with ten men for the entire second period, Egypt faced relentless pressure from South Africa. The opposition felt aggrieved not to be awarded a penalty of their own for a potential handball after a lengthy VAR review, with referee Pacifique Ndabihawenimana checking the pitchside monitor but ultimately waving play on.
Despite their numerical advantage and territorial dominance, South Africa lacked the cutting edge in the final third to break down a resilient Egyptian defence. Egypt's disciplined rearguard action secured a vital clean sheet and the three points.
With this victory, Egypt's progression to the last 16 is confirmed. South Africa remain on three points from their two matches, while Zimbabwe and Angola drew 1-1 earlier in the day, leaving both teams on a single point.
