Mohamed Salah scored a 97th-minute penalty to spare the blushes of Egypt as they rescued a 2-2 draw against Mozambique and denied their opponents a first ever Africa Cup of Nations win in a Group B clash at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium on Sunday.
Salah’s spot-kick went in off the post after Mozambique defender Domingos Macandza committed a foul in the box. The penalty was awarded following a VAR check.
Egypt made a fast start in Abidjan thanks to a goal inside two minutes from Mostafa Mohamed, but Mozambique made them pay for spurned opportunities by scoring twice in three second-half minutes through Witi and substitute Clesio Bauque.
But they were denied a first victory at the Cup of Nations in their 13th game as Salah kept his nerve and Egypt now look ahead to a second AFCON fixture against Ghana on Thursday.
Mohamed Salah scores injury-time penalty to salvage draw
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Mohamed Salah scored a 97th-minute penalty to spare the blushes of Egypt as they rescued a 2-2 draw in Abidjan.
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Mohamed Salah scored a 97th-minute penalty to spare the blushes of Egypt as they rescued a 2-2 draw against Mozambique in their Africa Cup of Nations opener.
Mozambique were seconds away from first ever AFCON win when they went into a shock 2-1 lead at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium.
But Egypt were handed a lifeline when Mozambique defender Domingos Macandza committed a foul in the box and Salah’s spot-kick went in off the post.
Egypt made a fast start in Abidjan thanks to a goal inside two minutes from Mostafa Mohamed.
A regulation win looked on the cards but Mozambique made Egypt pay for spurned opportunities by scoring twice in three second-half minutes through Witi and substitute Clesio Bauque.
But they were denied a first victory at AFCON in their 13th game as Salah kept his nerve deep into stoppage time.
In all, it was a day of shocks in Abidjan as Ghana were beaten by Cape Verde in the second part of this Group B double-header, while Nigeria were held by Equatorial Guinea to open their campaign in Group A.
Egypt and Ghana face off in a huge clash for both teams on Thursday.
