Salah, Foster take Egypt and South Africa to AFCON Group B summit

Rabat, Morocco: Premier League pair Mohamed Salah and Lyle Foster were match-winners as Egypt and South Africa began their Africa Cup of Nations Group B campaigns with victories in Morocco on Monday.

Unsettled Liverpool star Salah struck in the first minute of added time to snatch a 2-1 win for record seven-time champions Egypt over gallant Zimbabwe in Agadir.

Earlier, second-half dominance by one-time title-holders South Africa paid off when Burnley striker Foster netted on 79 minutes to deliver a 2-1 victory over Angola in Marrakesh.

The stage is now set for a top-of-the-table showdown between the Pharaohs and Bafana Bafana in Agadir on Friday. They have met three times in AFCON tournaments, with Egypt winning twice.

Salah, whose unhappiness at being a substitute recently at Liverpool led to an outburst against manager Arne Slot, worked tirelessly for an Egyptian team rattled at falling behind.

Prince Dube scored on 20 minutes and one of the title favourites had to wait until the 63rd minute for Omar Marmoush from Manchester City to equalise.

Relentless pressure from the Pharaohs paid off in the first of five additional minutes when the perseverance of Salah grabbed them all three points.

Earlier, South Africa dominated the second half against Angola in Marrakesh and Foster scored in 79 minutes to deliver a 2-1 victory in the same mini-league.

The winner came after Tshepang Moremi had a goal ruled offside and Mbekezeli Mbokazi rattled the crossbar with a shot that rebounded into play.

Oswin Appollis put 2024 AFCON bronze medallists South Africa ahead on 21 minutes and, as Angola took control, they levelled through Show after 35 minutes.

Victory ended a six-match winless run in their opening AFCON match since 2006 by South Africa. The win also confirmed their dominance over Angola with three victories and two draw in five AFCON meetings.

Belgian coach Hugo Broos, who guided Cameroon to the AFCON tilte in 2017, admitted he was unhappy with the first-half Bafana performance.

“We had to avoid losing tonight because next up for us are Egypt. We led in the opening half and then we fell asleep,” said Broos.

“We let Angola back into the game so we put something right during half-time. In the second half we applied more pressure, there is more movement and we had chances.

– ‘Very painful’ –

“Tshepang (Moremi) was wonderful when he came on, suddenly there was speed in our team, we were dangerous. He was a threat and he did it very well in the second 45 minutes.”

Mali coach Tom Saintfiet admitted that conceding a late equaliser in a 1-1 Group A draw with Zambia in Casablanca was “very painful”.

After El Bilal Toure had a first-half penalty saved by Willard Mwanza, Mali took the lead on 61 minutes through Lassina Sinayoko.

But as two Mali defenders stood still when the ball was crossed two minutes into added time, Patson Daka pushed forward to head the equaliser.

“We were aiming to score three goals in this match. Our difficulties began after the missed penalty. We let our emotions take over,” said Belgian Saintfiet.

“Obviously, I would have preferred to take all three points against Zambia, especially after controlling the game.

“The equaliser felt like a victory for Zambia and a defeat for Mali. Now we have to prepare properly for the next matches, starting against Morocco on Friday.

“Zambia have good players in midfield, and they prevented us from achieving our objectives. Now we will need at least a point against the Moroccans.”

“We have to finish at least second in the group. We said we want to reach the final, and that is still possible,” added the coach who took debutants Gambia to the 2022 quarter-finals.

Hosts Morocco, who opened the tournament on Sunday with a 2-0 win over Comoros, have three points and Mali and Zambia one each.

There are four matches on Tuesday, including 2024 runners-up Nigeria against Tanzania in Fes and 2022 champions Senegal against Botswana in Tangier.