AGADIR, MOROCCO — Le Grand Stade Agadir witnessed a tale of relentless pressure finally rewarded as Egypt secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over Zimbabwe in their Africa Cup of Nations encounter. The Pharaohs dominated possession with 77.2% of the ball, pinning Zimbabwe back for long stretches, but needed until the dying moments to break stubborn resistance and claim all three points.
Zimbabwe stunned the heavily favored Egyptians in the 20th minute when Prince Dube latched onto Emmanuel Jalai's cross and fired a left-footed shot from the centre of the box into the bottom left corner. The early goal forced Egypt to chase the game, and chase they did. Omar Marmoush finally restored parity in the 64th minute, rifling a right-footed shot from a difficult angle on the left to the high centre of the goal after receiving Mohamed Hamdy's assist. The breakthrough seemed to lift the weight off Egyptian shoulders, but Zimbabwe's defensive resolve remained firm. Then, in the first minute of stoppage time, Mohamed Salah delivered the moment Egypt craved. Mostafa Mohamed flicked on a headed pass, and Salah swept home a left-footed finish from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner, sending the Egyptian contingent into raptures.
The tactical battle told a story of Egyptian dominance met by Zimbabwean defiance. Hamdi Fathy and Marwan Attia controlled the midfield, recycling possession and probing for openings, while Marvelous Nakamba worked tirelessly to shield Zimbabwe's backline. Yasser Ibrahim and Hossam Abdelmaguid pushed forward repeatedly for Egypt, but Gerald Takwara and Jonah Fabisch stood firm in Zimbabwe's defensive structure. The real hero in green, however, was Washington Arubi, whose reflexes and positioning kept Zimbabwe in contention throughout.
Egypt peppered the goal with 35 attempts compared to Zimbabwe's 8, yet found Arubi in inspired form. The Zimbabwe goalkeeper was called into action 9 times, producing save after save to deny Mostafa Mohamed, Mohamed Salah, and substitute Ibrahim Adel. Egypt managed 11 shots on target from their barrage, but Arubi's heroics kept the scoreline respectable until Salah's late intervention. The statistics painted a picture of overwhelming Egyptian pressure—8 corners to Zimbabwe's 3—yet the Warriors' clinical counter-attacking threat remained evident.
The turning point arrived with Marmoush's equalizer midway through the second half. Egypt had grown increasingly desperate, with substitutions bringing fresh energy through Ibrahim Adel and Zizo. The goal shifted momentum decisively, and Zimbabwe's defensive discipline began to crack under the relentless waves of attack. Macauley Bonne's introduction couldn't stem the tide, and when Mostafa Mohamed won the crucial aerial duel in stoppage time, Salah was perfectly positioned to deliver the knockout blow.
Looking ahead, Egypt host South Africa on December 26, where they'll aim to build on this hard-fought victory and continue their Africa Cup of Nations campaign.