Egypt began their Africa Cup of Nations Group B campaign with a dramatic 2–1 victory over Zimbabwe after Mohamed Salah struck deep into stoppage time to seal the win in Agadir. The Pharaohs were forced to dig deep after falling behind early, eventually overpowering a stubborn Zimbabwe side late in the contest.
Zimbabwe stunned the seven-time African champions in the 20th minute when Prince Dube capitalised on a rare opening to give his team the lead. Despite controlling possession and creating chances, Egypt struggled to find a breakthrough before halftime, with Zimbabwe goalkeeper Washington Arubi producing a series of impressive saves to frustrate the favourites.
Egypt’s persistence finally paid off midway through the second half as Omar Marmoush burst into the penalty area and fired a powerful finish into the roof of the net to restore parity. The equaliser shifted momentum firmly in Egypt’s favour, with wave after wave of pressure pushing Zimbabwe deeper into their own half.
Just when the match appeared destined for a draw, Salah delivered the decisive moment in added time, steering a shot past Arubi to complete the comeback.
The late strike secured all three points for Egypt and eased early pressure in Group B, setting up a high-profile clash with South Africa next as Zimbabwe look to recover in their remaining fixtures.
