Egypt becomes the first team to qualify for the knockout stages of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations after a hard-fought 1-0 win over South Africa in Group A
The match, held at the Stade de la Paix, saw the Pharaohs build on their opening 2-1 victory against Zimbabwe earlier this week. The only goal of the game came just before halftime, when captain Mohamed Salah calmly converted a penalty kick.
The second half presented a major challenge for the North Africans. Defender Mohamed Hany was sent off with a straight red card, forcing Egypt to play the remainder of the match with only ten men. However, a disciplined defensive performance ensured they protected their narrow lead and secured all three points.
With two wins from two matches, Egypt are top of Group A and has guaranteed its place in the tournament’s next round. Their final group fixture against Angola will now determine first place in the standings.
For South Africa, the defeat complicates their path forward. They must now win their last group match against Zimbabwe to have a chance of progressing and avoid an early exit from the competition.
In the other Group A match played today, Angola and Zimbabwe drew 1-1.