Mohamed Salah struck deep into stoppage time to rescue Egypt from a frustrating opening-day setback as the seven-time African champions battled back to defeat Zimbabwe 2–1 in their Group B clash at the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025.
Egypt dominated large spells of the match but looked set for a disappointing result until their talisman delivered when it mattered most, ensuring a winning start to their AFCON 2025 campaign.
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Despite relentless Egyptian pressure, Zimbabwe stunned the North Africans in the 20th minute.
Jordan Jalai burst down the flank and teed up Prince Dube, who expertly turned inside the box before slotting past Mohamed El Shenawy to give the Warriors a surprise lead.
The Pharaohs regrouped after the break and immediately increased the tempo. With full-backs pushing higher and sustained attacking pressure, the equaliser finally arrived in the 63rd minute.
Omar Marmoush, who grew increasingly influential, surged forward and smashed home to level the score.
The decisive moment came in stoppage time. Salah controlled a high ball in the area, showed composure to beat his marker, and clinically fired home, sparking wild celebrations among Egyptian players and fans as the Pharaohs sealed a dramatic late victory.