AFCON: Egypt first to qualify for 2nd round

2025AFCON: Egypt first to qualify for 2nd round

. South Africa passage on hold

Africa’s most decorated football team and seven times African champions, the Pharaohs of Egypt glided on Friday in Agadir, Morocco towards her 8th title piping the Bafana Bafana of South Africa by a lone goal even with 10 men and 12 added minutes into 2nd half in a group B decider.

Liverpool of Britain and Egyptian captain, Mohammed Salah scored a superb penalty played straight into the middle of the goal post to deceive South African captain and goalkeeper, Williams in goal.

Mohammed Hany had joined the BAD BOYS with red cards when he got the second yellow and was sent off in the 45th +2 minutes of play stressing the Egyptians to reschedule tactics to put away the forays of the South Africans who were desperate for a win.

Egypt allowed the Mandela Boys to do the playing with 7-16 shots at goal having 3-7 shots on target; the desperation of the South Africans was so high that they mismanaged ball possession of 58-42% with 7-4 corner kicks with 0-4 offside calls because the team was so much in a hurry and forgot to calm down to see through their noses. So foul calls were 9-9 yellow cards were 1-3 and Egypt saw red.

Earlier at Marrakech, Warriors of Zimbabwe could not capture the Stable Antelopes of Angola as their match ended in a 1-1 draw.

Gelson Dala who plays his professional football in Qatar scored first for Angola in the 24th minute after obtaining a pass from 23 years old To Carnwiro before midfielder Bill Anthoni located Knowledge Musona who equalized for Zimbabwe in 45+6th minute.

Notwithstanding, Egypt tops group B with 6 points scoring 3 goals and conceding one; South Africa has 3 points scoring 2 goals and conceding 2; Zimbabwe is 3rd with a point scoring 2 goals and conceding 3 just like Angola. Meaning, that the two teams at the bottom may leave Morocco in their next games.

Group B group games end on Monday with a simultaneous duel between Zimbabwe and South Africa while Angola faces the Egyptian wrath all at 5pm.

Tomorrow Saturday, Group D matches will see Benin versus Botswana at 1:30pm; Senegal tackles DR Congo at 4pm. In Group C, Uganda and Tanzania will line up against each other while Nigeria and Tunisia will try and hide their soccer hostilities at 9pm.

....by Eniola Olatunji, in Morocco