A Mohamed Salah penalty gave Egypt a 1-0 win over Bafana Bafana in their crucial Afcon 2025 Group B clash. South Africa (SA) now faces a stern test against Zimbabwe to qualify for the knockout stage. Bafana Bafana will have to beat neighbours Zimbabwe in their final 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) group game.
This after being vanquished 1-0 by seven-time African champions Egypt on Friday, 26 December in Agadir, Morocco. The South Africans succumbed to a first-half penalty from Egyptian captain and talisman Salah. The Liverpool star struck late in the first stanza, after Burundian referee Pacifique Ndabihawenimana awarded a penalty to the Pharaohs following a video assistant referee check.
Bafana Bafana fullback Khuliso Mudau was adjudged to have fouled Salah in the box, after the Mamelodi Sundowns defender’s flailing hand struck the attacker’s face. The decision could have swayed in any direction, especially as there seemed to be no intent to strike Salah from Mudau. But the referees handed the advantage to the attacking team and Salah stepped forward to dispatch the spot-kick with vintage coolness.
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No sooner had the Egyptians obtained the advantage in the dying embers of a cagey first stanza, when Bafana Bafana were handed a lifeline by Mohamed Hany being sent off for stomping on Teboho Mokoena’s foot, just seconds before the half-time whistle. It was his second yellow-card transgression. After that red card for Hany, it was always poised to be an uphill battle for the Egyptians in the second stanza.
So it proved. It was one-way traffic throughout that half, with SA piling on the pressure and Egypt soaking it up. The North Africans, spurred on by their passionate supporters at Adrar Stadium, relied on counter-attacks for any goalmouth attempts.
Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos could have also been braver, sooner. Having started the game with three conservative midfielders in Mokoena, Thalente Mbatha and Sphephelo Sithole, Broos brought on Sipho Mbule for Mbatha in the second half. This, to offer some creativity in the final third.
The next attacking sub only arrived with 20 minutes remaining though, as SA huffed and puffed to no avail. As the game wore on and Bafana Bafana’s passage to goal appeared blocked at every turn – particularly by goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy – the team grew more desperate for the elusive equaliser. Bafana Bafana thought their sustained pressure had finally paid off when Yasser Ahmed handled the ball inside the box during injury time. However, the referee ruled in favour of the Egyptians to seal Bafana’s fate.
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