First Half Thriller: Egypt Trails Early, Laying the Groundwork for Comeback
Local time Monday, the crucial Group B fixture of CAN 2025 group stage kicked off, with title contenders Egypt facing Zimbabwe. As pre-tournament favorites, Egypt entered with resolve to secure a winning start. From the whistle, the Pharaohs dominated attack, pinning Zimbabwe back and applying sustained pressure.
In the 7th minute, Mahmoud Trezeguet’s shot was brilliantly saved by Zimbabwean goalkeeper Washington Arubi. Marwan Attia (10th minute) and Emam Ashour (12th minute) then fired wide, wasting chances. Just as Egypt controlled play but failed to score, Zimbabwe struck on the counter.
In the 20th minute, Emmanuel Jalai’s precise through ball found Prince Dube, who evaded Egypt’s defense and slotted past Mohamed El Shenawy to make it 1-0. Egypt responded urgently, with Omar Marmoush’s powerful shot hitting the crossbar, but they entered halftime trailing 1-0, setting the stage for the eventual Egypt wins 2-1 result.
Second Half Revival: Salah’s Heroics Seal Egypt wins 2-1 in Dramatic Style
The second half saw Egypt captain Mohamed Salah take command, rallying his team to boost attacking intensity and launch wave after wave of assaults on Zimbabwe’s defense. However, Zimbabwe’s backline held firm, with Salah closely marked by multiple defenders, limiting his shooting opportunities.
In the 55th minute, Marmoush threatened again, but his effort was blocked by Arubi, and Egypt’s search for an equalizer continued to stall. A turning point came in the 64th minute: Salah displayed world-class skill, dribbling past two defenders before calmly finishing to level 1-1, reigniting hopes for Egypt wins 2-1.
Buoyed by the goal, Egypt’s morale surged, and they intensified their siege. In the 73rd minute, Zizo’s header flew over the bar; three minutes later, Ibrahim Adel’s shot went narrowly wide, leaving the match on a knife-edge.
With time running out, Salah stepped up again. In the 90+1 minute, he won a physical duel in the penalty area and fired a precise shot past Arubi to seal victory—confirming Egypt wins 2-1. The hard-fought triumph puts Egypt temporarily top of Group B with 3 points, level with South Africa, while Zimbabwe joins Angola at the bottom with 0 points as the knockout race heats up.
