Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush. Photo; Courtesy
Egypt produced a thrilling late comeback to defeat Zimbabwe 2–1 in their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) clash, with Mohamed Salah scoring a stoppage-time winner to cap a dramatic contest.
Zimbabwe stunned the seven-time African champions by taking the lead in the 20th minute through Prince Dube. The striker finished confidently to reward the Warriors’ bright start, as they pressed Egypt aggressively and defended with discipline after going ahead. The early goal forced Egypt to chase the game, with Zimbabwe sitting deep and looking to exploit counter-attacking opportunities.
Despite dominating possession, Egypt found it difficult to break down a well-organized Zimbabwe defence in the first half. Several promising moves failed to produce an equalizer, leaving the Pharaohs trailing at the break and under growing pressure.
Egypt emerged with renewed intensity after halftime and were finally rewarded in the 64th minute when Omar Marmoush drew the teams’ level. The forward calmly converted to bring Egypt back into the contest and shift momentum in their favour. From that moment, Egypt increased the tempo, piling pressure on Zimbabwe as they searched for a winner.
As the match appeared destined for a draw, captain Mohamed Salah delivered a decisive moment in the 90+1st minute. The Liverpool star struck with precision in stoppage time, completing the comeback and sealing a vital victory for Egypt.
The result gives Egypt a crucial three points and a morale-boosting start to their AFCON campaign. For Zimbabwe, the defeat was heartbreaking after a spirited performance, but their display showed resilience and promise as they look ahead to their remaining group matches.
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