Egypt were forced to dig deep before edging past Zimbabwe 2–1 in their opening match of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Agadir, with captain Mohamed Salah delivering the decisive moment late on.

The tournament favourites were stunned early when Prince Dube put Zimbabwe ahead in the 20th minute, punishing a rare lapse in concentration. What followed was near-total dominance from the Pharaohs, who peppered the opposition goal with an astonishing 35 attempts but were repeatedly let down by wasteful finishing.

Relief finally arrived on 64 minutes. Omar Marmoush levelled the score with a powerful strike, shifting the momentum firmly in Egypt’s favour and sparking belief among the supporters inside the stadium.

As the clock ticked down and frustration threatened to grow, the team’s talisman stepped forward. Mohamed Salah struck a precise half-volley in the closing stages to complete the comeback and secure all three points, underlining his status as the heartbeat of this Egypt national team.

2025 Africa Cup of Nations

Egypt - Zimbabwe 2:1 (0:1)
Goals: Dube P., 20 (0:1); Marmoush, 64 (1:1); Salah, 90 (2:1)

Egypt: El Shenawy M.; Hany; Abdelmaguid; Ibrahim; Hamdy Sharaf (Fotouh, 82); Ateya (Adel, 66); Hassan (Zizo, 67); Ashour (Mostafa Mohamed, 34); Fathi H.; Salah; Marmoush
Substitution: Mostafa Mohamed (from 34); Adel (from 66); Zizo (from 67); Fotouh (from 82)
Bench: El Shenawy A.; Shobeir; Rabia; Eid; Shehata; Lasheen; Saber; Fathi; Faisal
Yellow Cards: Hassan 33

Zimbabwe: Arubi; Takwara; Garananga; Hadebe; Murwira; Jalai (Maswanhise, 88); Fabisch; Nakamba; Msendami (Padera, 72); Navaya; Dube P. (Chirewa, 72)
Substitution: Padera (from 72); Chirewa (from 72); Maswanhise (from 88)
Bench: Chipezeze; Lunga; Galloway; Mudimu; Fusire; Antonio B.; Wadi; Bonne; Musona
Yellow Cards: Navaya 7