Egypt became the first side to book a place in the knockout stage of the 2025 CAF Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco as they edged past South Africa 1–0 in a tense Group B encounter in Agadir on Friday, showing composure and resilience despite being reduced to ten men.
In a contest expected to be finely balanced, Egypt national football team found the breakthrough just before half-time through captain Mohamed Salah.
The forward stepped up after VAR confirmed a penalty and calmly chipped his effort beyond Ronwen Williams, rewarding Egypt’s brighter first-half display.
Moments later, the match swung again when Mohamed Hany was dismissed for a second booking, leaving the Pharaohs to navigate the entire second half with a numerical disadvantage.
Head coach Hossam Hassan responded swiftly, reshaping his side to prioritise structure and defensive control. South Africa sought to capitalise, pushing higher and committing numbers forward.
South Africa national football team enjoyed sustained periods of pressure, but struggled to convert possession into clear chances, with goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy commanding his area and Egypt’s back line holding firm.
Despite their reduced numbers, Egypt remained a threat on the counter, using Salah’s movement and pace to relieve pressure and disrupt South Africa’s rhythm.
The match’s decisive moment arrived deep into stoppage time when South Africa appealed for a penalty following a handball incident. After a lengthy VAR review, the referee waved play on, sparing Egypt late heartbreak.
The final whistle confirmed a victory of control rather than dominance. Egypt moved to six points at the top of Group B, securing early qualification and ending a long wait for a competitive win over South Africa.
Bafana Bafana, meanwhile, remain well placed to progress but were left to rue missed opportunities on a night when fine margins once again defined AFCON football.
In his post match reaction, Egypt’s keeper Mohamed El Shenawy, who was named Man of the Match said: “The most important thing today is the victory. We approach every match like a final. We gave our all in this match right until the end, and we also hope for the best for what comes next. Thanks to the Moroccan fans who filled the stadium and have supported us since the start of the competition. I am criticised a lot, but I don’t focus on the negative aspects. I am fully concentrated on the competition. The team’s mindset is good and our group is working towards a final victory here.”
Egypt’s coach and country’s legend Hossam Hassan also thanked the Morocco fans for the support saying: “I would like to thank the Moroccan people for their support throughout this match. Thanks also to the Egyptians who stood behind us. As for the game itself, we knew it would not be an easy match against South Africa. This match felt like a final. I congratulate my players, who showed great character. They executed very well what we worked on. Everything we planned for this match happened, and I am very happy. The objective was to defend well and win. We played well, but we will do even better in the next matches. We are taking it one match at a time, and every match is different.”
Disappointed Bafana Bafana boss Hugo Broos said; “In the first half, we didn’t play well. We were not well positioned and there was too much space for the Egyptians. But in the second half, we clearly dominated. We had the chances we needed, but we lacked efficiency. In the end, there were especially two decisions against us that decided the match. We dominated this game, particularly in the second half, but unfortunately we didn’t have much luck. We also had several refereeing decisions go against us. That match is over now. From here, we are focusing on the next one. We need to win the final match against Zimbabwe, and you can be sure that we will win.”
