Mo Sallah’s penalty made his country, Egypt, become the first team to secure a place in the Round of 16 at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations following a slim 1–0 victory over South Africa on Friday evening.
The Pharaohs continued their perfect start to Group A after opening the tournament with a 2–1 win against Zimbabwe. Their latest triumph came courtesy of a first-half penalty calmly converted by Mohamed Salah.
Despite being reduced to 10 men before the break after defender Mohamed Hany was sent off, the North Africans showed resilience and discipline to protect their lead and claim all three points.
The result guarantees Egypt a spot in the knockout stage ahead of their final group match against Angola. South Africa, meanwhile, will look to revive their campaign when they face Zimbabwe in their last Group A fixture.
