Egypt secured a 1-0 victory over South Africa in their Group B clash at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Agadir, Morocco, on December 26, booking their spot in the knockout stages with a game to spare.
The decisive moment came when Mohamed Salah won a penalty after being clipped in the face by South African defender Khuliso Mudau inside the box. Salah calmly converted the spot-kick, marking his second goal of the tournament.
Egypt faced adversity late in the first half when Mohamed Hany received a second yellow card for stamping on South Africa’s Teboho Mokoena, reducing the Pharaohs to ten men. Despite this setback, goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy made crucial saves, including a strong stop from Mudau’s effort, keeping South Africa from equalizing.
The defeat marked South Africa’s first competitive loss under coach Hugo Broos in nearly two years.
With the win, Egypt topped Group B with six points from two matches, while South Africa remained second with three points, leaving both teams in contention for the remaining knockout spots.
Egypt’s performance highlighted their resilience and tactical discipline, with Salah continuing to lead the team’s attacking charge. The Pharaohs will now focus on their final group match, while South Africa will aim to recover and secure qualification in their remaining games.
