Mohamed Salah struck deep into added time to seal a dramatic 2-1 win for record seven-time champions Egypt against minnows Zimbabwe in their Africa Cup of Nations Group B opener in Agadir on Monday.
The Liverpool star arrived in Morocco amid uncertainty at club level, having failed to start any of the Reds’ previous five matches, a situation that reportedly sparked a public outburst directed at manager Arne Slot.
But all talk of his Anfield future faded as Salah delivered when it mattered most for the Pharaohs.
Pouncing on a loose ball inside the area, the 31-year-old calmly guided a precise finish beyond 40-year-old Zimbabwe goalkeeper Washington Arubi to complete a late turnaround.
What many expected to be a routine outing for Egypt proved far more demanding.
Zimbabwe stunned the favourites when Prince Dube fired them ahead in the 20th minute, a lead they courageously defended until Omar Marmoush restored parity just past the hour mark.
The result leaves Egypt level on three points with South Africa, who edged Angola 2-1 earlier in Marrakesh, after the opening round of Group B fixtures.
Egypt dominated possession from the outset, pinning all 11 Zimbabwe players deep inside their own half at the 40,000-capacity stadium on Morocco’s southern coast.
Salah was heavily involved, sending in a dangerous cross early on and later seeing a close-range effort blocked as Egypt laid siege to the Warriors’ goal.
Despite the pressure, it was Zimbabwe who struck first. Emmanuel Jalai delivered a cross into the box, Dube muscled his way through, turned sharply and drilled a low shot past Mohamed El Shenawy into the corner.
Egypt nearly fell further behind moments later when the ball ricocheted loose inside their six-yard box before El Shenawy finally gathered.
On the touchline, coach and former Egypt great Hossam Hassan cut a frustrated figure, repeatedly barking instructions as chances went begging. Marmoush briefly raised hopes when he slipped past the offside trap, but Arubi raced from his line to clear the danger.
Tempers flared as pressure mounted, with former Aston Villa forward Mahmoud ‘Trezeguet’ Hassan booked for diving inside the penalty area. Salah remained lively and nearly equalised in first-half stoppage time, only for Zimbabwe’s defence to block his effort.
The pattern continued after the restart, with Egypt pushing relentlessly and Zimbabwe defending heroically. The breakthrough finally arrived in the 63rd minute when Marmoush timed his run perfectly, collected a pass, surged forward and rifled the ball into the net from a tight angle.
Salah squandered a golden opportunity late on when his rushed shot flew over the bar, but he redeemed himself moments later with the decisive added-time strike.
Before the match, Hassan insisted Salah was unaffected by off-field distractions, saying, “I feel his motivation is very, very strong. Salah is an icon and will remain so. He is one of the best players in the world, and I support him in everything he does.”
Salah’s omission from Liverpool’s last five games culminated after a Premier League draw with Leeds United, when he claimed he had been “thrown under the bus” by Slot, comments that fueled speculation about a possible January transfer.
Now focused solely on international glory, Salah is determined to guide Egypt to a record-extending eighth AFCON crown.
Despite his illustrious career, the continental title has eluded him, with runner-up finishes in 2017 and 2022 marking his closest attempts so far.
