Egypt coach Hossam Hassan expressed his satisfaction after a dramatic 2–1 victory over Zimbabwe in their Africa Cup of Nations Group B opener.
The Pharaohs turned the game around at the Adrar Stadium in Agadir thanks to a second-half fightback that lifted spirits early in their 35th AFCON campaign.
Zimbabwe struck first when Prince Dube gave the Warriors a surprise 20th-minute lead. Egypt had dominated possession early but failed to convert several clear chances before going behind.
Omar Marmoush restored parity with a well-timed strike in the 63rd minute to bring Egypt back into the contest.
Then in stoppage time, Mohamed Salah seized his moment. He pounced on a loose ball inside the box and fired a composed winner that snatched all three points for Hassan’s side.
Hassan admitted that conceding first made things harder for his players.
He pointed to missed opportunities and a lack of early focus as factors that allowed Zimbabwe to take the lead against the run of play.
However, he stressed that Egypt eventually controlled both halves and showed the character needed to secure a late victory.
The coach also noted that the early win will be a confidence boost as Egypt target a record-equalling eighth AFCON title.
He expected Group B to be tough and emphasized that every team came to Morocco with strong ambitions to qualify for the later stages.
For Salah, the goal was a timely response following recent club challenges and a blank spell in front of goal. It underlined his importance as Egypt chase continental glory.
Egypt now turn their attention to Wednesday’s clash with South Africa, aiming to build on their hard-fought start in a group that promises plenty of drama.
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