Egypt 2-1 Zimbabwe: Report, result, goals as Salah scores last-gasp winner for Pharaohs at AFCON 2025

Mohamed Salah scored a 91st-minute winner as Egypt came from behind against Zimbabwe to take all three points in their opening game of AFCON 2025.

Salah’s strike came following Manchester City forward Omar Marmoush’s second-half equaliser after Prince Dube had given Zimbabwe a shock lead before the break.

Egypt, one of the pre-tournament favourites to go all the way in Morocco, had not lost this particular fixture in more than 30 years and their two Premier League stars ensured that record remained intact to join South Africa, who earlier beat Angola, at the top of Group B.

All eyes were on Pharaohs captain Salah, who has been the subject of a rather turbulent few weeks at Liverpool after his outburst in the aftermath of their 3-3 draw at Leeds on 6 December.

And it was the 33-year-old who had a hand in the game’s first chance. From Salah’s curling cross to the back post, Mahmoud Trezeguet’s header was on target but Zimbabwe keeper Washington Arubi managed to get across to parry the ball to safety.

A few moments later, it was the turn of Emam Ashour to go close when the Al Ahly man prodded wide from eight yards.

But in the 20th minute, Zimbabwe opened the scoring totally against the run of play, Dube firing into the bottom corner after turning neatly in the box.

Egypt were stunned. Five minutes later, the lead was almost doubled when goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy’s error nearly allowed Washington Navaya to turn the ball into the empty net.

Marmoush then had a couple of efforts as the forward looked to get the 2006 champions back into the game.

The Manchester City man did just that shortly after the hour mark. Right-back Godknows Murwira switched off at the crucial moment, allowing Marmoush in on goal and he made no mistake, smashing an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net.

From there, Egypt were all over their opponents. Zizo squandered a glorious chance to complete the comeback but he headed over from four yards.

But, just when they thought they had thrown away the chance at victory, Salah stepped up in the 91st minute to grab his country all three points at the death when he swivelled and fired a left-foot shot into the net to spark jubilant celebrations on the Egypt bench.

Recommended offer

Review

Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Bets

Get Offer

#AD 18+ Registration Required. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of qualifying bets. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. GambleAware.org Time limits and T&Cs apply. T&Cs apply.

Egypt team vs Zimbabwe

Omar Marmoush led the line for Egypt, with veteran goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy potentially contesting his final Africa Cup of Nations after a career that has included multiple continental titles at club level with Al Ahly.

Egypt starting XI: Mohamed El Shenawy, Mohamed Hany, Hossam Abdelmaguid, Yasser Ibrahim, Mohamed Hamdy, Mohamed Salah, Marwan Attia, Emam Ashour, Hamdi Fathy, Trezeguet, Omar Marmoush

Egypt substitutes: Ahmed El Shenawy, Khaled Sobhy, Rami Rabia, Salah Mohsen, Mostafa Mohamed, Ahmed Abou El Fotouh, Mohamed Shehata, Mohanad Lasheen, Mostafa Fathi, Ibrahim Adel, Osama Faisal, Ahmed Eid, Zizo, Mostafa Shobeir, Mahmoud Saber

Zimbabwe team vs Egypt

Zimbabwe were without Walter Musona, who scored twice in qualifying. Experienced forward Knowledge Musona, who has 26 international goals, started on the bench.

Zimbabwe starting XI: Washington Arubi, Godknows Murwira, Munashe Garan’anga, Gerald Takwara, Teenage Hadebe, Emmanuel Jalai, Jonah Fabisch, Marvelous Nakamba, Prince Dube, Daniel Msendami, Washington Navaya

Zimbabwe substitutes: Elvis Chipezeze, Sean Fusire, Divine Lunga, Prosper Padera, Macauley Bonne, Bill Antonio, Brendan Galloway, Knowledge Musona, Tawanda Maswanhise, Tawanda Chirewa, Isheanesu Mauchi, Alec Mudimu, Ishmael Wadi, Junior Zindoga, Tadiwa Chakuchichi

How to watch AFCON 2025: TV channel, live online stream

In the UK, live AFCON 2025 coverage is on Channel 4’s 4seven, All 4 and YouTube channel. In the USA, beIN Sports is the tournament broadcaster.

Online live streaming is available on a vast range of devices through Channel 4’s website and app and the beIN Sports app.

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).

Zimbabwe AFCON 2025 squad

Goalkeepers: Washington Arubi (Marumo Gallants), Elvis Chipezeze (Magesi), Martin Mapisa (MWOS FC).

Defenders: Godknows Murwira (Scottland), Emmanuel Jalai (Dynamos FC), Sean Fusire (Sheffield Wednesday), Munashe Garananga (FC Copenhagen), Gerald Takwara (Al Ittihad Misurata), Isheanesu Mauchi (Simba Bhora), Brendon Galloway (Plymouth Argyle), Teenage Hadebe (FC Cincinnati), Alec Mudimu (Flint Town United), Divine Lunga (Mamelodi Sundowns).

Midfielders: Marvelous Nakamba (Luton Town), Jonah Fabisch (Erzgebirg Aue), Andy Rinomhota (Reading), Prosper Padera (SJK Seinajoki), Tawanda Chirewa (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Knowledge Musona (Scottland)

Forwards: Bill Antonio (KV Mechelen), Ishmael Wadi (CAPS United), Tawanda Maswanhise (Motherwell), Daniel Msendami (Marumo Gallants), Prince Dube (Young Africans), Washington Navaya (TelOne FC), Macauley Bonne (Maldon & Tiptree), Junior Zindoga (TS Galaxy), Tadiwanashe Chakuchichi (Scottland).

What are the host cities for AFCON 2025?

Agadir – Grand Stade d’Agadir (capacity – 41,144)

Casablanca – Complexe Sportif Mohammed V (45,000)

Fes – Complexe Sportif de Fes (35,468)

Marrakech – Grand Stade de Marrakech (41,245)

Rabat – Complexe Sportif Prince Moulay Abdellah (69,500)

Rabat – Stade Al Barid (18,000)

Rabat – Stade Olympique Annexe Complexe Sportif Prince Moulay Abdellah (21,000)

Rabat – Complexe Sportif Prince Heritier Moulay EL Hassan (22,000)

Tangier – Grand Stade de Tanger (75,600)

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 vs Angola (Marrakech, 17:00)
• Group B: Egypt vs Zimbabwe (Agadir, 20:00)

Tuesday, December 23 2025

• Group D: Senegal vs Botswana (Tangier, 12:30)
• Group D: DR Congo vs Benin (Rabat, 15:00)
• Group C: Nigeria vs Tanzania (Fes, 17:30)
• Group C: Tunisia vs Uganda (Rabat, 20:00)

Wednesday, December 24 2025

• Group E: Burkina Faso vs Equatorial Guinea (Casablanca, 12:30)
• Group E: Algeria vs Sudan (Rabat, 15:00)
• Group F: Ivory Coast vs Mozambique (Marrakech, 17:30)
• Group F: Cameroon vs Gabon (Agadir, 20:00)

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)