Egypt’s Africa Cup of Nations campaign began with drama, resilience and a familiar moment of inspiration from Mohamed Salah, as Egypt secure a 2-1 victory over Zimbabwe.
A tense evening in Agadir ended with relief for Egypt, celebration on social media and an unexpected but eye-catching reaction from Manchester City striker Erling Haaland.
The match itself had everything expected of an AFCON opener: early dominance, a surprise setback, growing pressure and a decisive late goal.
By the final whistle, Egypt had not only claimed three points but also sent a message about their ambitions in the tournament, with Salah and Omar Marmoush at the heart of the response.
From the opening minutes at the Grande Stade d’Agadir, Egypt looked determined to impose themselves. With Salah drifting into dangerous areas and Marmoush stretching Zimbabwe’s defence with his pace and movement, the Pharaohs controlled possession and territory.
The early stages suggested a comfortable night might be in store, but AFCON has a habit of rewriting expectations.
Against the run of play, Zimbabwe struck first. In the 20th minute, Prince Dube capitalised on a rare lapse at the back, showing composure to bring down Emmanuel Jalai’s delivery inside the penalty area before finishing past Ahmed El Shenawy. The goal stunned the Egyptian supporters and instantly changed the tone of the contest.
Egypt responded by increasing the tempo. They moved the ball quicker, pressed higher up the pitch and began to create half-chances, but Zimbabwe defended with discipline and numbers.
Clear openings were hard to come by, and as the first half drew to a close, frustration began to creep in. Despite their dominance, Egypt went into the interval trailing, knowing that patience and sharper execution would be required.
The pattern continued after the break. Egypt camped in Zimbabwe’s half, circulating possession and probing for weaknesses, while Zimbabwe remained compact and dangerous on the counter. The breakthrough finally arrived just after the hour mark, and it came through Marmoush.
Latching onto a well-timed pass, the Manchester City forward surged into space and showed confidence in front of goal, driving his shot high into the net to level the score.
The equaliser lifted both the players and the fans, shifting the momentum decisively in Egypt’s favour.
With the scores level, Egypt sensed an opportunity to push for a winner. Wave after wave of attacks followed, forcing Zimbabwe’s veteran goalkeeper Washington Arubi into a series of saves.
The pressure mounted as the clock ticked down, and Zimbabwe’s resistance began to show signs of cracking.
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Deep into added time, the decisive moment arrived. Salah, who had been closely marked for much of the match, found just enough space inside the box. From close range, he made no mistake, converting to secure the comeback and deny Zimbabwe what would have been a famous draw.
Marmoush’s earlier strike and energetic performance were also recognised, as he was named TotalEnergies Man of the Match after the final whistle.
Social media moment and Haaland’s reaction
As Egypt secure a 2-1 victory over Zimbabwe, celebrations continued off the pitch and attention quickly shifted online. Salah marked the victory by sharing a post-match photo on Instagram featuring himself alongside Marmoush.
The image captured a moment of satisfaction and unity between the two attackers, reflecting the importance of teamwork in Egypt’s hard-fought win.
Among the many reactions in the comments was one that stood out. Manchester City striker Erling Haaland, a teammate of Marmoush at club level, joined the conversation with a brief but notable message: “Salam brusjans👍🏻.”
The two-word comment drew attention from fans, highlighting the growing connections between players across clubs and countries, as well as the camaraderie within the modern game.