Egypt Rest Mohamed Salah as Angola Face Elimination from AFCON.

An exciting set-piece moment from the match.

The Angolan winger curled a delightful set-piece against the post as the two sides played out a draw.

Liverpool star Mohamed Salah and Etihad counterpart Omar Marmoush remained unused substitutes as the group leaders Egypt played out a stalemate with Angola at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

The seven-time champions, having clinched top spot, deployed an completely rotated starting XI and lacked a clinical finish in the Moroccan city.

Angola, who required a victory to keep their hopes alive, will now face a nervous wait to see if their two points is enough to qualify for the last 16 as one of the four best-placed third-place teams.

Benin, Sudan and Mozambique are assured of at least third place in their respective groups, all boasting three points.

Match Highlights

Attacker Fredy struck the outside of a post for Angola early in the second half, while Zizo – one of three players introduced by the Pharaohs – stung goalkeeper Hugo Marques' palms with a shot from inside the box.

Salah and Marmoush had previously found the net in comeback wins over Zimbabwe and South Africa, respectively.

Egypt will remain in Agadir to face a third-placed team next Monday, with their next rival to be confirmed after the group stage concludes on Wednesday.

In the other Group B closer, South Africa's 3-2 win over Zimbabwe sent Bafana Bafana through automatically, leaving Angola in a precarious position.

Pharaohs Miss Star Power Presence

The Egyptian captain observing the match from the sidelines.

Mohamed Salah observed Egypt draw a blank in an Afcon match for the first occasion since the 2021 tournament decider.

With first place wrapped up, Egypt coach Hossam Hassan might have hoped for a more convincing display from his rotated side.

The striker, who scored four goals at the previous tournament, created an first-half chance for Hossam Abdelmaguid, but the centre-back directed his header over the target.

Angola, having made seven changes themselves, almost went ahead when Chico Banza combined with Mabululu before dragging a low drive wide.

The first half passed without a single effort on target, though Fredy forced goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir into action with a thunderous long-range attempt.

The Palancas Negras skipper was the likeliest source, watching a set-piece beat the goalkeeper but clatter against the woodwork.

At the other end, Salah Mohsen was left in disbelief after nearly prodding in a cross, only for the move to be flagged offside.

Late attempts from M'Bala Nzola and Hamdi Fathy could not break the deadlock, ensuring the match ended scoreless.

For Angola, last-eight participants in 2023, their disjointed showings in Morocco will lead to scrutiny about their recent coaching decision.

Amber King
Amber King

A tech enthusiast and writer passionate about exploring how digital innovations impact society and daily life.