Salah has recorded nine assists and has scored 25 goals in 31 games for club and country in 201/22.
Mohammed Salah with a touch of class and fair play was seen consoling Moroccan players after their intense Africa Cup of Nations quarter final match.
Hoping to continue their stellar H2H record against Egypt after registering 14 victories in their 29 encounters, compared to their opponents’ three, Morocco got off to the perfect start in the Cameroonian capital as they took the lead, via the penalty spot, in the 7th minute.
It was Sofiane Boufal who obliged, sending his unstoppable spot-kick into the top right-hand corner, after referee Maguette N’Diaye had utilised the on-field monitor to award a foul against Ayman Ashraf for a careless challenge on Achraf Hakimi.
After conceding their first goal in four matches at the 2021 AFCON tournament, Egypt finally found their foothold in the contest when Ashraf, attempting to make amends for his earlier blunder, forced Yassine Bounou into an instinctive save in the 20th minute.
(Salah)
Morocco continued to threaten in pursuit of a potentially decisive goal before HT, as the ‘Pharaohs’ talismanic captain Mohamed Salah remained an onlooker throughout the first half.
In pursuit of a record-breaking eighth AFCON title, Egypt began the second half galvanised, conjuring an equaliser in the 53rd minute when Salah reacted quickest to slot in, after Yassine Bounou had done brilliantly to stop Mostafa Mohamed’s close-range header.
In an attempt to reignite their attacking potency in the remaining twenty minutes of regulation time, Vahid Halilhodžić surprisingly replaced goalscorer Boufal with Soufiane Rahimi.
Morocco were within inches of progressing into the semi-finals, when Gabal somehow turned Nayef Aguerd’s header onto the crossbar in the 82nd minute.
(Touch of class)
Egypt were dealt a blow early in ET, when second-choice goalkeeper Gabal was replaced due to injury.
Nevertheless, Egypt completed their comeback in the match in the 100th minute when substitute Trézéguet took full advantage of some exquisite build-up play from Salah, before tapping home and sending the ‘Pharaohs’ bench into jubilant celebrations.
Egypt kept their composure in the remaining minutes to extend their unbeaten record at the tournament to four matches, while Morocco’s wait for their first AFCON title since 1976 goes on.
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