Salah scores stoppage-time winner in Egypt's AFCON opener

RABAT, Morocco (AP) — Mohamed Salah got Egypt off to a winning start in the Africa Cup of Nations by scoring late for a 2-1 victory over Zimbabwe on Monday.

Salah captained the team in his first start for nearly a month and fired inside the bottom corner in stoppage time to spare Egypt embarrassment against a team ranked 129th in the world.

Egypt, the record seven-time champion, was thwarted for long periods in the coastal city of Agadir by Zimbabwe’s stubborn defending and an outstanding performance from goalkeeper Washington Arubi.

“We wasted several scoring chances and we didn’t have luck on our side,” Egypt coach Hossam Hassan said. “That’s football. We were the better team throughout the match. Opening games are always difficult.”

Prince Dube stunned the favorites in the 20th minute when he took Emmanuel Jalai’s cross with his first touch and spun around a defender to flick it past Egypt ’keeper Mohamed El-Shenawy with his next.

Salah tried riling his teammates. They kept missing chances. Hassan hooked Emam Ashour in the 33rd, leaving the midfielder in tears on the bench.

Arubi tipped over a fierce strike from Omar Marmoush, Trézéguet dived in an attempt to win a penalty and was booked, then Salah, Marmoush, and Mostafa Mohamed – who had gone on for the ineffective Ashour – all had efforts blocked before the break.

The game resumed in the same manner until Marmoush finally found a way to score from a difficult angle in the 64th.

Salah’s winner gave the Pharaohs three points in Group B. The Liverpool star has never won Africa’s premier competition. This is his fifth edition.