Mohamed Salah scored a 97th-minute penalty to spare the blushes of Egypt as they rescued a 2-2 draw against Mozambique and denied their opponents a first ever Africa Cup of Nations win in a Group B clash at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium yesterday evening.
Salah’s spot-kick went in off the post after Mozambique defender Domingos Macandza committed a foul in the box. The penalty was awarded following a Video Assistant Referee check.
Egypt made a fast start in Abidjan thanks to a goal inside two minutes from Mostafa Mohamed, but Mozambique made them pay for spurned opportunities by scoring twice in three second-half minutes through Witi and substitute Clesio Bauque.
But they were denied a first victory at the Cup of Nations in their 13th game as Salah kept his nerve.
“It’s heartbreaking to not win like that but it will only make us stronger. We are not thinking small, we are thinking big,” Mozambique midfielder Guima said.
Egypt now look ahead to a second pool fixture against Ghana on Thursday, while Mozambique meet Cape Verde on Friday.
