Egypt's Mohamed Salah in action during the Africa Cup of Nations group B soccer match between Egypt and South Africa in Agadir, Morocco. AP
Liverpool winger Mohamed Salah praised Egypt’s 1-0 victory over South Africa in the second round of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) group stage on Friday.
The 33-year-old converted a first-half penalty to secure the win for 10-man Egypt, booking the Pharaohs’ place in the tournament’s knockout stage.
“They dominated at times, but we stuck to our tactics and managed to secure the victory,” Salah said in a post-match television interview.
The Pharaohs controlled possession in the first half but struggled in the second as South Africa applied pressure, capitalizing on Mohamed Hany’s dismissal before halftime.
“It was a difficult game. The crowd was big in the stadium, and that helped us a lot,” he added.
With the win, Egypt top their group with six points and became the first team to secure a spot in the AFCON knockout stage.
Egypt are scheduled to face Angola in the third round of group stage matches on Monday.
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