Mohamed Salah’s Egypt, seven-time African champion, avoided major disappointment for its entry into the CAN by snatching a 2-2 draw against Mozambique, long heroic in Abidjan on Sunday.
Trailing 2-1 until the end of regulation time, the Pharaohs relied on a penalty converted by their Liverpool star at the end of added time (90th + 6) to finally prevent the “Mambas” from winning the whole thing. first African Cup match in their history.
Almost until the end, Witi (55th) and Clesio Bauque (58th) turned into heroes for the Mozambicans, who, trailing 1-0 from the 2nd minute of play, had managed to overthrow the Egyptian ogre. But Salah decided otherwise.
On the scoresheet, the duel was obviously not balanced: on one side Egypt, which holds the record for victories in the competition. On the other, Mozambique, which had never won a single match in four participations in the CAN (1986, 1996, 1998 and 2010) and had only scored four goals in the competition.
Egypt wants to offer Salah a first title
For Chiquinho Conde’s players, hopes seemed to have been quickly swept away when FC Nantes striker Mostafa Mohamed opened the scoring at the start of the match. While on a cross from the left, Mohamed Salah missed his control, his teammate then released a beautiful pivoting shot which deceived Ernan (1-0, 2nd).
But Egypt did not take shelter in the first half. Witi’s equalizer, with a superb header (55th) – from a perfect cross from Domingos Macandza – had the effect of a first small event. The joy increased tenfold just three minutes later when Claudio Bauque, following a poorly negotiated ball by the Egyptian defense, put the Mambas in front.
But there was still time, and it was finally in a very last situation in the opponent’s area that Egypt managed to obtain a penalty after intervention by the VAR. This result, although miraculous, is a small misstep for the Pharaohs, who have two defeats in the final (2017 and 2022) and want to offer Mohamed Salah, the savior of the evening, a first title.
