Mohamed Salah’s penalty sent 10-player Egypt to the last 16 of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) with a nervy victory over South Africa in Agadir.
Referee Pacifique Ndabihawenimana awarded the seven-time champions the spot kick in the 45th minute after Khuliso Mudau caught Salah in the face with an arm, the incident appearing innocuous but being deemed unlawful following a pitchside monitor check.
Pharaohs right-back Mohamed Hany, who had earlier been cautioned for needlessly dragging back Tshepang Moremi, was dismissed for an ill-timed challenge on Teboho Mokoena during first-half added time.
All four sides in the section complete their opening fixtures on Monday (16:00 GMT / 11:00 ET / 08:00 PT), when Angola take on Egypt in Agadir and Zimbabwe are in Marrakech to play South Africa.
Salah on the spot. Hossam Hassan on the line. Sending Egypt to the Round of 16. 🇪🇬💫#TotalEnergiesAFCON2025 | #WeCelebrateDifferent pic.twitter.com/NbdPDwsyPw
— TotalEnergies AFCON 2025 (@CAF_Online) December 26, 2025
Egypt vs South Africa: Salah goal seals win
Liverpool forward Salah scored Egypt’s 91st-minute winner in their opening 2-1 comeback win over Zimbabwe on Monday and their task looked straightforward after the 33-year-old’s Panenka penalty put them in front.
Their task became onerous with Hany’s departure, holding on for much of the second half and surviving a late Video Assistant Referee check over a potential handball by Yasser Ibrahim.
South Africa won their opener 2-1 against Angola, meaning their fate remains in their hands before the deciders.
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Egypt team vs South Africa
Egypt starting XI: 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 vs Egypt
South Africa starting XI: Ronwen Williams, Khuliso Mudau, Siyabonga Ngezana, Mbekezeli Mbokazi, Aubrey Modiba, Thalente Mbatha, Teboho Mokoena, Sphephelo Sithole, Oswin Appollis, Lyle Foster, Tshepang Moremi
South Africa substitutes: Tylon Smith, Khulumani Ndamane, Relebohile Mofokeng, Mohau Nkota, Elias Mokwana, Bathusi Aubaas, Sipho Chaine, Sipho Mbule, Samukelo Kabini, Nkosinathi Sibisi, Ricardo Goss, Evidence Makgopa, Shandre Campbell, Thabang Matuludi
Egypt vs South Africa stats
- Egypt are now 12 AFCON games unbeaten in open play (W5 D7), including four wins and three draws during the group stage
- Their last such defeat was against Nigeria in their opening game in 2021, although they had drawn their previous six matches at the finals before beating Zimbabwe in their opener
- The Pharaohs had gone five AFCON games without a clean sheet, previously keeping one in the 2021 final against Senegal, which they lost on penalties
- They have started AFCON with successive wins for a 12th time, previously taking maximum points from their first two games in 2019
- Since 1963, when a group stage was introduced, Egypt’s record in their second group game is W54 D5 L4
- None of their second group games at the last eight AFCON finals have resulted in defeat, last losing in 2004 against Algeria
- A loss to Nigeria in their opening game in 2021 is their only defeat in their last 23 group games (W16 D7)
- Salah scored his ninth AFCON goal in his 21st such game and has scored at five editions (2017, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2025); coach Hossam Hassan scored in seven
- South Africa won their opener for the first time since 2004, with their victory representing the third time since that year that they have won a group-stage game against a country other than Namibia.
- Their last four group-stage wins have come against Angola in 2013 and 2025 and Namibia in 2019 and 2023
- Bafana lost for the first time in eight games in open play since losing to Mali in 2023 (W3 D4)
- They had won their previous two games against North African teams, beating Egypt and Morocco in 2019 and 2023 after previously going winless in four such matches (D1 L3)
- One of their nine AFCON group games against North African teams – a 3–1 win against Morocco in 2002 – has resulted in victory (D2 L6)
Egypt AFCON 2025 squad
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).
Midfielders: 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).
Forwards: Omar Marmoush (Manchester City), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), Mostafa Mohamed (Nantes), Salah Mohsen (Al Masry), Osama Faisal (Al Ahly Bank).
South Africa AFCON 2025 squad
Goalkeepers: Sipho Chaine (Orlando Pirates), Ricardo Goss (Siwelele), Ronwen Williams (Mamelodi Sundowns)
Defenders: Samukele 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)
Midfielders: Bathusi Aubaas (Mamelodi Sundowns), Thalenthe Mbatha (Orlando Pirates), Teboho Mokoena (Mamelodi Sundowns), Sphephelo Sithole (Tondela), Sipho Mbule (Orlando Pirates)
Forwards: Oswin Appollis (Orlando Pirates), Shandre Campbell (Club Brugge), Lyle Foster (Burnley), Evidence Makgopa (Orlando Pirates), Relebohile Mofokeng (Orlando Pirates), Elias Mokwana (Al Hazem), Tshepang Moremi (Orlando Pirates), Mohau Nkota (Al Ettifaq)
AFCON 2025 fixtures, full Africa Cup of Nations schedule
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 (Fes)
- 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 vs Zimbabwe (Marrakech, 12:30)
- Group B: Egypt vs South Africa (Agadir, 15:00)
- Group A: Zambia vs Comoros (Casablanca, 17:30)
- Group A: Morocco vs Mali (Rabat, 20:00)
Saturday, December 27 2025
- Group D: Benin vs Botswana (Rabat, 12:30)
- Group D: Senegal vs DR Congo (Tangier, 15:00)
- Group C: Uganda vs Tanzania (Rabat 3, 17:30)
- Group C: Nigeria vs Tunisia (Fes, 20:00)
Sunday, December 28 2025
- Group F: Gabon vs Mozambique (Agadir, 12:30)
- Group E: Equatorial Guinea vs Sudan (Casablanca, 15:00)
- Group E: Algeria vs Burkina Faso (Rabat, 17:30)
- Group F: Ivory Coast vs Cameroon, (Marrakech, 20:00)
Monday, December 29 2025
- Group B: Angola vs Egypt (Agadir, 16:00)
- Group B: Zimbabwe vs South Africa (Marrakech, 16:00)
- Group A: Comoros vs Mali (Casablanca, 19:00)
- Group A: Zambia vs Morocco (Rabat, 19:00)
Tuesday, December 30 2025
- Group C: Tanzania vs Tunisia (Rabat, 16:00)
- Group C: Uganda vs Nigeria (Fes, 16:00)
- Group D: Benin vs Senegal (Tangier, 19:00)
- Group D: Botswana vs DR Congo (Rabat, 19:00)
Wednesday, December 31 2025
- Group E: Equatorial Guinea vs Algeria (Rabat, 16:00)
- Group E: Sudan vs Burkina Faso (Casablanca, 16:00)
- Group F: Gabon vs Ivory Coast (Marrakech, 19:00)
- Group F: Mozambique vs Cameroon (Agadir, 19:00)
Africa Cup of Nations 2025 round of 16
Saturday, January 3 2026
- SR1: Group D winners vs Group B/E/F third-place (Tangier, 16:00)
- SR2: Group A runners-up vs Group C runners-up (Casablanca, 19:00)
Sunday, January 4
- SR3: Group A winners vs Group C/D/E third-place (Rabat, 16:00)
- SR4: Group B runners-up vs Group F runners-up (Rabat, 19:00)
Monday, January 5
- SR5: Group B winners vs Group A/C/D third-place (Agadir, 6pm)
- SR6: Group C winners vs Group A/B/F third-place (Fes, 8:30pm)
Tuesday, January 6
- SR7: Group E winners vs Group D runners-up (Rabat 2, 6pm)
- SR8: Group F winners vs Group E runners-up (Marrakech, 8:30pm)
Africa Cup of Nations 2025 quarter-finals
Friday, January 9
- QF1: Winner SR2 vs Winner SR1 (Tangier, 16:00)
- QF2: Winner SR4 vs Winner SR3 (Rabat, 19:00)
Saturday, January 10
- QF3: Winner SR7 vs Winner SR6 (Marrakech, 16:00)
- QF4: Winner SR5 vs Winner SR8 (Agadir, 19:00)
Africa Cup of Nations 2025 semi-finals
Wednesday, January 14
- SF1: Winner QF1 vs Winner QF4 (Tangier, 17:00)
- SF2: Winner QF3 vs Winner QF2 (Rabat, 20:00)
Africa Cup of Nations 2025 third-place match
Saturday, January 17
- SF1 vs SF2 losers (Casablanca, 16:00)
Africa Cup of Nations 2025 final
Sunday, January 18
- SF1 vs SF2 winners (Rabat, 19:00)