Salah double lifts Egypt as Nigeria and Morocco win Afcon qualifiers

Mohamed Salah scored twice as Egypt beat Malawi 5-0 on Friday, giving Ali Maher a winning start as coach in qualifying for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. BBC Sport Africa reported that Nigeria also secured an important victory, beating Tanzania 3-1, while Morocco defeated Niger 5-1 and Tunisia lost 2-0 at home to Libya.

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Egypt settled the contest early, with Nasser Maher, Omar Marmoush and Mohamed Hany scoring before half-time. Salah, back as captain after missing the victory in South Sudan, added a header and then converted a penalty awarded for a foul on Hamza Abdelkarim. The result left Egypt three points ahead of Angola in Group B, with Angola due to face South Sudan on Saturday. Maher had taken over after Egypt parted company with Hossam Hassan earlier this month.

In Uyo, Nigeria needed two goals from half-time substitute Tolu Arokodare to overcome Tanzania. Alhassan Yusuf opened the scoring in the second minute from Ademola Lookman’s pass, but Alphonce Msanga equalised before the break. Arokodare restored the lead in the 52nd minute from Wilfred Ndidi’s delivery and scored again eight minutes later after receiving a cross from Moses Usor.

The victory moved Nigeria within one point of Group L leaders Guinea-Bissau after three matches. With Tanzania already qualified as tournament co-hosts, only one qualification place is available to the other teams in the group. Nigeria had lost 3-0 in Guinea-Bissau in September, while the group leaders drew 1-1 with Madagascar on Thursday.

Morocco’s win in Casablanca featured two goals from Achraf Hakimi and a crucial penalty save by Yassine Bounou. Niger had reduced a two-goal deficit through Mohamed Abdourahmane and could have equalised before half-time, but Bounou stopped Youssouf Oumarou’s spot-kick. Hakimi then scored a free-kick in first-half stoppage time, before Youssef En-Nesyri and Ayoub Oufkir added second-half goals to complete the victory.

Tunisia, meanwhile, remained winless and bottom of Group H after goals from Ali Youssef and Hamdou El Houni secured Libya’s victory in Sfax. Tunisia have appeared at 17 consecutive Afcon tournaments, but their group offers just one qualifying place. Elsewhere, Kenya denied South Africa a third straight qualifying win when Ryan Ogam’s 90th-minute equaliser earned a 2-2 draw in Johannesburg.