Mohamed Salah was the star of the night as Egypt secured a crucial 2-0 victory over Ethiopia in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier match on Friday, further solidifying their grip on Group A.
The Egyptian national team, popularly known as the Pharaohs, continued their unbeaten run in the qualifiers with another dominant performance at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca, where Ethiopia was forced to play due to an inability to host on home soil.
Salah, who captained the side, opened the scoring in the first half after capitalizing on a fast counterattack, showcasing his attacking prowess once again.
Shortly after, the Liverpool forward turned provider as he delivered a perfect assist to Zizo, who calmly slotted the ball into the back of the net, extending Egypt’s lead to 2-0 before halftime.
The Pharaohs dominated possession throughout the match and created several chances but were unable to add to their goal tally in the second half.
Trezeguet came close to making it 3-0, hitting the woodwork, while another Salah goal was later ruled out for offside after a VAR review.
Under head coach Hossam Hassan, Egypt maintained strong defensive discipline, securing their sixth clean sheet in 11 games since he took charge.
Hassan made key substitutions in the second half, introducing Mostafa Mohamed, Mohamed Shehata, Mostafa Fathy, Ahmed Nabil Kouka, and Khaled Sobhy to maintain control of the game and ensure a smooth finish.
With this victory, Egypt now sit comfortably at the top of Group A with 13 points after five matches, extending their lead to five points ahead of Burkina Faso and Sierra Leone, who are level on points in second place.
This commanding position puts Egypt in prime contention for an automatic qualification spot for the FIFA World Cup, set to take place in the United States, Mexico, and Canada in 2026.
Meanwhile, Ethiopia continues to struggle in their World Cup qualification campaign, as they remain winless in their last eight qualifiers and sit with just three points, leaving them with a slim chance of making it to the finals.
The Pharaohs will now turn their attention to their upcoming fixture against Sierra Leone on Tuesday, March 25, at Cairo International Stadium.
A win in that match could put them within touching distance of securing their fourth-ever World Cup appearance, boosting the team’s confidence as they aim to return to football’s biggest stage.