Egypt’s Mohamed Salah scores their second goal from the penalty spot REUTERS/Luc Gnago | Photo Credit: Reuters

Egypt captain, Mohammed Salah scored late to rescue Egypt from a Mozambique shock in their opening group D game of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Côte d’Ivoire 2023.

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.

It took the 7-time champions just two minutes to get into the lead thanks to Mohamed Mostafa’s strike.

Mohammed Salah failed to connect to a cross from Mohammed Hamdi but Mostafa was just there to swivel a shot into the bottom corner.

Mostafa once again was put through by Salah but his final effort was saved by goalkeeper Ernan Siluane.

Mozambique came close to getting their first goal after Mohamed Abdelmonem was forced to put the ball into his own net but El Shenawy managed to save the situation.

The Mambas came into the second half much stronger.

Witness Quembo headed home the equalizer for Mozambique. A bullet header beat the palm of El Shenawy after a lovely cross from Domingos on the 55th minutes

The goal is Mozambique’s first in the last 14 years.

Three minutes later, Clesio Bauque added Mozambique’s second. He broke through the Egyptian to set up a one-on-one with Mohamed El Shenawy to score.

Domingos Macandza brought down Mostafa Mohammed in the closing stages of the game and after VAR review, Egypt were awarded a penalty.

Salah stepped up and scored for Egypt to draw them level.

Egypt will play Ghana on Thursday January 18 at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium.

CAPE VERDE STUN GHANA

Suddenly Egypt’s next game on Thursday against Ghana could be make or break for both, with the Black Stars reeling after conceding in injury time to lose 2-1 to Cape Verde.

The Black Stars looked set to come away with a draw after Alexander Djiku headed home on 56 minutes to cancel out Jamiro Monteiro’s first-half opener.

But Cape Verde pounced on poor defending to grab all three points in the 92nd minute, with substitute Garry Rodrigues tucking the ball into a gaping goal to the shock of Ghana fans in the crowd of just under 12,000.

“We want to show the world what we can do, that we are small but we can compete on footballing terms with all teams in Africa,” said Cape Verde coach Pedro ‘Bubista’ Brito.

The evening was also notable for the appearance as a substitute of Andre Ayew, with the 34-year-old becoming only the third player to feature in eight editions of the competition.

Yet of far greater concern to Ghanaians is the result for a country whose tally of four AFCON victories is bettered only by Egypt and Cameroon.

OSIMHEN ON TARGET

They went out of the last edition in 2022 in the group stage and Chris Hughton’s team also came here off the back of a 1-0 defeat to the Comoros in World Cup qualifying in November.

“We conceded a very poor goal, and hence it is a very disappointing night for us,” Hughton said of Cape Verde’s winner.

“We have no choice but to make sure it is a favourable result in our next game against Egypt.”

Three-time champions Nigeria are hoping the presence of African Player of the Year Osimhen can spark a successful campaign but they were held to a 1-1 draw by Equatorial Guinea in Group A.

Osimhen nodded in to level in the first half almost immediately after Iban Edu had opened the scoring in match that ended with both teams on one point, two fewer than Ivory Coast.

The tournament hosts beat Guinea-Bissau 2-0 in the same Ebimpe Olympic Stadium on Saturday.

“I am not happy. This draw does not suit us. Our team created a lot of chances but we did not score,” said Nigeria coach Jose Peseiro.

Of concern to organisers will be the sight of a practically empty stadium, with very few fans attending the game in the 60,000-capacity ground.

Holders Senegal kick off their campaign on Monday against Gambia in Group C in Yamoussoukro, with Cameroon and Algeria also in action.