Egyptian football star Mohamed Salah displayed visible frustration after being substituted out of his team's Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against Angola. The game, which took place on September 26, 2026, ended in a goalless draw. The match was part of the first round of qualifying for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. Salah's reaction was captured by photographers during the game.
The match between Egypt and Angola began with a strong start from the Angolan team. In the sixth minute, Angolan player Christavão Maboululu launched a powerful shot from outside the penalty area, but it narrowly missed the Egyptian goal. Throughout the first quarter of the game, Angola appeared to be performing better than Egypt. Egyptian player Mahmoud Saber had an opportunity to score in the 16th minute but his shot passed close to the Angolan goalpost.
Egypt's Mustafa Zizo had a goal disallowed in the 20th minute due to offside. As the game progressed, Egypt made some substitutions to try and change the momentum. In the 40th minute, Omar Marmoush replaced Mahmoud Saber. Later, in the 59th minute, Zizo headed a ball that passed harmlessly beside the Angolan goal. Two minutes later, Egypt made two more substitutions, with Salah and Hatem Hassan being replaced by Ahmed Sayed Zizo and Hamza Abd al-Karim.
The match continued with both teams creating scoring opportunities. In the 88th minute, the Angolan goalkeeper made a crucial save from a shot by Marmoush. The starting lineup for Egypt included goalkeeper Mustafa Shobier, defenders Ahmed Fattouh, Hussein Abd al-Majid, Ramy Rabia, and Mohamed Hani, midfielders Imam Ashour, Mohamed Lashin, Mahmoud Saber, and Hatem Hassan, and forwards Mustafa Zizo and Mohamed Salah.
The Egyptian team had several players on the bench, including goalkeeper Mahdi Sulaiman, defenders Mohamed Alaa, Tarek Alaa, Mohamed Abd al-Munem, and Omar Faid, midfielders Karim Hafez, Ali Mahmoud, and Ibrahim Adel, and forwards Ahmed Sayed Zizo, Omar Marmoush, and Hamza Abd al-Karim. The Angolan team also had a strong lineup, with Hugo Marques in goal and a defense that included David Carmo, Marsoni Sambo, Jonathan Boatou, and Kiaylonda Gaspar.
The midfield for Angola consisted of Pedro Francisco, Manuel Luis, and Manuel Keliano, while their attack featured Zito Lovumbe, Christavão Maboululu, and Felicio Milson. The goalless draw marked a cautious start for both teams in their qualifying campaign. Egypt and Angola will look to improve their performance in the next matches to increase their chances of advancing to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
The draw was a fair result given the opportunities created by both teams. Egypt and Angola will face tougher challenges in the coming matches, and their coaches will need to work on strategies to improve their team's performance. The next matches will be crucial in determining the teams' chances of qualifying for the Africa Cup of Nations.
Key points
- Egypt's Mohamed Salah was substituted out of the game in the 60th minute, showing visible frustration.
- The match between Egypt and Angola ended in a goalless draw.
- Egypt and Angola will face tougher challenges in their upcoming matches in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.
