Agadir: The Egyptian national team qualified for the Round of 16 of the Africa Cup of Nations, currently being held in Morocco, after defeating South Africa 1-0 in their match Friday at the Grand Stadium in Agadir, as part of the second round of Group B. Liverpool star Mohamed Salah scored the only goal of the match in the 45th minute from a penalty kick. Despite being reduced to ten men after defender Mohamed Hany was sent off in first-half stoppage time for receiving his second yellow card, the Egyptian team managed to maintain their lead until the final whistle. Egypt now has 6 points at the top of the group, while South Africa remains on 3 points after starting their campaign with a win against Angola.

According to Qatar News Agency, in the same group, Angola and Zimbabwe drew 1-1 in a match played at the Grand Stade de Marrakech, leaving qualification hopes hanging in the balance and dependent on the results of the final round. Meanwhile, in Group A, Zambia and Comoros played to a goalless draw, bringing Zambia’s points tally to two, while Comoros earned their first point of the tournament. Zambia faces a tough challenge against Morocco in the third round, while Comoros will play Mali. All teams still have a chance to qualify, depending on the results of the final round. The top two teams from each of the six groups, along with the four best third-placed teams, will advance to the Round of 16.