Egypt have become the first team to qualify for the knockout stage of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations after edging South Africa 1-0 on Friday, December 26.
The Pharaohs faced Bafana Bafana in their second Group B fixture, with both sides producing a fiercely contested encounter at Stade Adrar in Agadir as they battled for control of the group standings.
The decisive moment came just before the break when Mohamed Salah calmly converted a penalty in the 45th minute, a goal that ultimately proved enough to separate the two teams and hand Egypt a hard-earned victory.
Despite the defeat, South Africa delivered an impressive performance, particularly in the second half. Bafana Bafana dominated large spells of the game after Egypt were reduced to 10 men in first-half injury time following a red card shown to Mohamed Hany, but they were unable to turn their numerical advantage into an equaliser.
The win, Egypt’s first against South Africa since 2006, takes the Pharaohs to six points at the top of Group B. That return has confirmed their place in the Round of 16, making them the first nation to book a spot in the knockout phase of the tournament in Morocco.
