Mohamed Salah’s Late Penalty Rescues Egypt in AFCON Opener Against Mozambique

Mohamed Salah‘s 97th-minute penalty spared Egypt one of the greatest upsets ever to have taken place at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) as the most successful team in the history of the tournament rescued a 2-2 draw against Mozambique at Abidjan‘s Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium.

The Mambas, whose Fifa ranking of 111th in the world puts them 78 places below Egypt, had failed to win in 12 previous matches at the tournament – a record that looked likely to continue when Mostafa Mohamed controlled Salah’s mishit and turned expertly to blast the seven-time champions ahead with two minutes played.

After Mohamed was denied a second goal by the woodwork, Mozambique launched an incredible comeback. They equalized just before halftime through Reginaldo, and then stunned Egypt by taking the lead in the 74th minute with another goal from Reginaldo.

It seemed like Egypt’s dreams of a winning start to the tournament were slipping away until the dying moments when Mohamed Salah was brought down inside the penalty area. The Liverpool star calmly converted the resulting spot-kick in the 97th minute, rescuing a point for Egypt in dramatic fashion.

This draw will be a major disappointment for Egypt, who were hoping to make a strong statement in their opening match. However, Mozambique deserves credit for their impressive performance and their ability to push one of the tournament favorites to the limit.

Egypt will now need to regroup and prepare for their upcoming matches against the Democratic Republic of Congo and Comoros in Group B, while Mozambique will look to build on their positive display when they face Comoros in their next game.

The Africa Cup of Nations is always full of surprises, and this match is a testament to that. Mohamed Salah once again showcased his immense talent and importance to the Egyptian national team, proving why he is considered one of the best players in the world.