Salah penalty rescues Egypt

Abidjan. — Mohamed Salah saved Egypt from an embarrassing defeat in their opening Africa Cup of Nations game last night as he converted a penalty seven minutes into injury time to snatch a 2-2 draw with Mozambique. The penalty was awarded following a VAR check by the referee for a foul on Mostafa Mohamed in the area at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium in Abidjan, and Salah’s strike denied Mozambique a historic first ever AFCON win.

Mohamed had given record seven-time African champions Egypt the ideal start when he scored inside two minutes of the Group B encounter, but the sapping heat and humidity of a late afternoon kick-off then seemed to get the better of the Pharaohs. Mozambique, who had not won a match in 12 previous attempts in four past appearances at the Cup of Nations, equalised through Witiness Quembo in the 55th minute. — AFP.