Seven times African Champions, Egypt came from behind to register a 2-1 over Zimbabwe in a group B opener of the 2025 AfCON on Monday.
The record holders were behind in the first half when Prince Dube gave Zimbabwe a surprise lead.
The breakthrough eventually came in the second half, with Omar Marmoush drawing Egypt level before captain Mohamed Salah sealed the comeback with a dramatic stoppage-time winner, ending a prolonged period of frustration in front of goal.
Speaking after the match, Hossam Hassan acknowledged the challenge posed by Zimbabwe and admitted that his side wasted several scoring opportunities.
“We missed more than one scoring opportunity, and luck was not on our side—that is football,” Hassan said. “We were the better team throughout the match.
“Opening games are always difficult. The most important thing is winning these matches and securing the three points, and our performance in the upcoming matches will improve for the better.”
The former Egyptian international praised his players for their resilience and focus, adding that attention has now shifted to the next Group B fixture.
“From now on, we are preparing for the South Africa match. I thank all the players for their efforts in the game,” he said.
The victory maintains Egypt’s strong record against Zimbabwe and sees the Pharaohs move level on points with South Africa at the top of Group B. South Africa also collected maximum points on Monday after edging Angola 2–1 in the group’s other fixture.
Group B remains finely poised heading into the second round of matches, with Egypt set for a high-stakes clash against South Africa.
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