Report, result and goals as Salah seals AFCON victory

Mohamed Salah’s penalty sent 10-man Egypt to the round of 16 of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) with a nervy victory over South Africa in Agadir.

The section’s four teams complete their opening match on Monday (4:00 p.m. GMT/11:00 a.m. ET/8:00 a.m. PT), when Egypt faces Angola in Agadir and South Africa is in Marrakech to face Zimbabwe.

More to follow

Recommended offer

Bet £10 Get £30 in free bets

#AD 18+ Registration required. Minimum deposit requirement. Free bets are paid out in the form of bet credits and can be used when settling eligible bets. Minimum odds, betting and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude wagering of betting credits. GambleAware.org Deadlines and terms and conditions apply.

Terms and conditions apply.

Egypt team against South Africa

Egypt starting lineup: Mohamed El Shenawy, Mohamed Hany, Yasser Ibrahim, Rami Rabia, Mohamed Hamdy, Marwan Attia, Zizo, Hamdi Fathy, Mohamed Salah, Omar Marmoush, Trezeguet

Egypt substitutes: Ahmed El Shenawy, Khaled Sobhy, Hossam Abdelmaguid, Emam Ashour, Salah Mohsen, Mostafa Mohamed, Ahmed Abou El Fotouh, Mohamed Shehata, Mohanad Lasheen, Mostafa Fathi, Ibrahim Adel, Osama Faisal, Ahmed Eid, Mostafa Shobeir, Mahmoud Saber

South Africa team against Egypt

South Africa starting eleven: Ronwen Williams, Khuliso Mudau, Siyabonga Ngezana, Mbekezeli Mbokazi, Aubrey Modiba, Talente Mbatha, Teboho Mokoena, Sphephelo Sithole, Oswin Appollis, Lyle Foster, Tshepang Moremi

South Africa substitutes: Tylon Smith, Khumani Ndanane, Relebohile Mohakeng, Mohau Nkota, Elias Mokwana, Siphos, Siphi Mbule, Siphokelo Kan,

Egypt vs South Africa Statistics

• Egypt now has 12 CAN matches without defeat in open play (5 wins, 7 draws), including four wins and three draws in the group stage.
• Their last such defeat came against Nigeria in their opening match of 2021, although they had drawn their previous six matches in the final before beating Zimbabwe in their opener.
• The Pharaohs had played five CAN matches without a clean sheet, keeping only one in the 2021 final against Senegal, which they lost on penalties.
• They started the AFCON with successive victories for the 12th time, having collected maximum points in their first two matches in 2019.
• Since 1963, when the group stage was introduced, Egypt’s record in its second group match is 54 wins, 5 draws, 4 losses.
• None of their second group matches in the last eight CAN finals ended in defeat, the last defeat coming in 2004 against Algeria.
• A defeat against Nigeria in their opening match of 2021 is their only defeat in their last 23 group games (16 wins, 7 draws).
• Salah scored his ninth AFCON goal in his 21st such match and has scored in five editions (2017, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2025); coach Hossam Hassan scored in seven
• South Africa won their first match since 2004, their victory representing the third time since that year that they have won a group stage match against a country other than Namibia.
• Their last four group stage wins came against Angola in 2013 and 2025 and against Namibia in 2019 and 2023.
• Bafana lost for the first time in eight open play matches since losing to Mali in 2023 (W3 D4)
• They had won their previous two matches against North African teams, beating Egypt and Morocco in 2019 and 2023 after going winless in four of those matches (D1 L3).
• One of their nine AFCON group matches against North African teams – a 3-1 win over Morocco in 2002 – ended in victory (D2 L6)

Egypt team for CAN 2025

Goalkeepers: Mohamed El Shenawy (Al Ahly), Ahmed El Shenawy (Pyramids), Mostafa Shobeir (Al Ahly), Mohamed Sobhy (Zamalek).

Defenders: Mohamed Hany (Al Ahly), Ahmed Eid (Al Masry), Ramy Rabia (Al Ain), Khaled Sobhi (Al Masry), Yasser Ibrahim (Al Ahly), Mohamed Ismail (Zamalek), Hossam Abdelmaguid (Zamalek), Mohamed Hamdy (Pyramids), Ahmed Fatouh (Zamalek).

Midfield: Marwan Attia (Al Ahly), Hamdi Fathy (Al Wakrah), Mohanad Lasheen (Pyramids), Mahmoud Saber (Zed), Mohamed Shehata (Zamalek), Emam Ashour (Al Ahly), Zizo (Al Ahly), Trezeguet (Al Ahly), Ibrahim Adel (Al Jazira), Mostafa Fathi (Pyramids).

Advantages: Omar Marmoush (Manchester City), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), Mostafa Mohamed (Nantes), Salah Mohsen (Al Masry), Osama Faisal (Al Ahly Bank).

South Africa team for CAN 2025

Goalkeepers: Sipho Chaine (Orlando Pirates), Ricardo Goss (Siwelele), Ronwen Williams (Mamelodi Sundowns)

Defenders: Sammukele Kabini (Molde), Thabang Matuludi (Polokwane City), Mbekezeli Mbokazi (Orlando Pirates), Aubrey Modiba (Mamelodi Sundowns), Khuliso Mudau (Mamelodi Sundowns), Khulumani Ndamane (TS Galaxy), Siyabonga Ngezana (Steaua Bucharest), Nkosinathi Sibisi (Orlando Pirates), Tylon Smith (Queens Park Rangers)

Midfield: Assistants Aubaas (Mamelodi Sundowns), Thalenthe Mbatha (Orlando Pirates), Teboho Mokoena (Mamelodi Sundowns), Sphephelo Sithole (Tondela), Sipho Mbule (Orlando Pirates)

Advantages: Lyle Foster (Burnley), Elis Pirates (Al, Pirates)

CAN 2025 schedule, full schedule of the African Cup of Nations

Sunday December 21, 2025

• Group A: Morocco 2-0 Comoros (Rabat)

Monday December 22, 2025

• Group A: Mali 1-1 Zambia (Casablanca)
• Group B: South Africa 2-1 Angola (Marrakech)
• Group B: Egypt 2-1 Zimbabwe (Agadir)

Tuesday December 23, 2025

• Group D: Senegal 3-0 Botswana (Tangie)
• Group D: DR Congo 1-0 Benin (Rabat)
• Group C: Nigeria 2-1 Tanzania (Fez)
• Group C: Tunisia 3-1 Uganda (Rabat)

Wednesday December 24, 2025

• Group E: Burkina Faso 2-1 Equatorial Guinea (Casablanca)
• Group E: Algeria 3-0 Sudan (Rabat)
• Group F: Ivory Coast 1-0 Mozambique (Marrakech)
• Group F: Cameroon 1-0 Gabon (Agadir)

Friday December 26, 2025

• Group B: Angola – Zimbabwe (Marrakech, 12:30 p.m.)
• Group B: Egypt – South Africa (Agadir, 3:00 p.m.)
• Group A: Zambia – Comoros (Casablanca, 5:30 p.m.)
• Group A: Morocco – Mali (Rabat, 8:00 p.m.)

Saturday December 27, 2025

• Group D: Benin – Botswana (Rabat, 12:30 p.m.)
• Group D: Senegal – DR Congo (Tangier, 3:00 p.m.)
• Group C: Uganda – Tanzania (Rabat 3, 5:30 p.m.)
• Group C: Nigeria – Tunisia (Fez, 8:00 p.m.)

Sunday December 28, 2025

• Group F: Gabon vs Mozambique (Agadir, 12:30)
• Group E: Equatorial Guinea – Sudan (Casablanca, 3:00 p.m.)
• Group E: Algeria – Burkina Faso (Rabat, 5:30 p.m.)
• Group F: Ivory Coast – Cameroon, (Marrakech, 8:00 p.m.)

Monday December 29, 2025

• Group B: Angola – Egypt (Agadir, 4:00 p.m.)
• Group B: Zimbabwe – South Africa (Marrakech, 4:00 p.m.)
• Group A: Comoros – Mali (Casablanca, 7:00 p.m.)
• Group A: Zambia – Morocco (Rabat, 7:00 p.m.)

Tuesday December 30, 2025

• Group C: Tanzania – Tunisia (Rabat, 4:00 p.m.)
• Group C: Uganda – Nigeria (Fez, 4:00 p.m.)
• Group D: Benin – Senegal (Tangier, 7:00 p.m.)
• Group D: Botswana – DR Congo (Rabat, 7:00 p.m.)

Wednesday December 31, 2025

• Group E: Equatorial Guinea – Algeria (Rabat, 4:00 p.m.)
• Group E: Sudan – Burkina Faso (Casablanca, 4:00 p.m.)
• Group F: Gabon – Ivory Coast (Marrakech, 7:00 p.m.)
• Group F: Mozambique vs Cameroon (Agadir, 7:00 p.m.)

2025 African Cup of Nations, round of 16

Saturday January 3, 2026

• SR1: winner of Group D vs third in Group B/E/F (Tangier, 4:00 p.m.)
• SR2: Group A finalists vs Group C finalists (Casablanca, 7:00 p.m.)

Sunday January 4

• SR3: Winner of Group A vs third in Group C/D/E (Rabat, 4:00 p.m.)
• SR4: Vice-champion of Group B vs Vice-champion of Group F (Rabat, 7:00 p.m.)

Monday January 5

• SR5: winner of group B vs third of group A/C/D (Agadir, 6 p.m.)
• SR6: winners of Group C vs thirds of Groups A/B/F (Fez, 8:30 p.m.)

Tuesday January 6

• SR7: Winners of Group E vs finalists of Group D (Rabat 2, 6 p.m.)
• SR8: winners of Group F vs vice-champions of Group E (Marrakech, 8:30 p.m.)

Quarter-finals of the 2025 African Cup of Nations

Friday January 9

• QF1: Winner SR2 vs Winner SR1 (Tangier, 4:00 p.m.)
• QF2: Winner SR4 vs Winner SR3 (Rabat, 7:00 p.m.)

Saturday January 10

• QF3: Winner SR7 vs Winner SR6 (Marrakech, 4:00 p.m.)
• QF4: Winner SR5 vs Winner SR8 (Agadir, 7:00 p.m.)

2025 African Cup of Nations semi-finals

Wednesday January 14

• SF1: Winner QF1 vs Winner QF4 (Tangier, 5:00 p.m.)
• SF2: Winner QF3 vs Winner QF2 (Rabat, 8:00 p.m.)

2025 Africa Cup of Nations third place match

Saturday January 17

• SF1 vs SF2 losers (Casablanca, 4:00 p.m.)

2025 African Cup of Nations Final

Sunday January 18

• Winners SF1 vs SF2 (Rabat, 7:00 p.m.)