FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers: Salah scores for Egypt as big guns flex muscles

FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers: Salah scores for Egypt as big guns flex muscles

Captain Mohamed Salah scored for Egypt as it eased to a 2-0 victory over Ethiopia in its 2026 World Cup qualifier on Friday, but 2022 semifinalist Morocco needed a late winner from Bilal El Khannouss to defeat unfancied Niger.

Zizo bagged Egypt’s second goal as it opened up a commanding five-point lead in Group A at the halfway point of the qualification campaign.

Burkina Faso earlier defeated Djibouti 4-1 to move into second in the pool. The top team in each of the nine groups earns a place at the finals in the United States, Mexico and Canada, while the four best runners-up enter an arduous inter-continental playoff campaign for one further berth.

Morocco had the luxury of playing its ‘away’ clash with Niger at home in Oujda with its opponents having no suitable stadiums to host international matches.

But it needed an equaliser on the hour-mark from Ismael Saibari, and then a winner two minutes into stoppage time from El Khannouss to claim victory and lead Group E by six points from second-placed Niger.

Ghana, who failed to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco later this year, moved top of its qualification pool with a 5-0 hammering of Chad in Accra.

Antoine Semenyo, Inaki Williams, Jordan Ayew, Mohammed Salisu and Ernest Nuamah all scored for the home side, which leads Madagascar in Group I by two points.

Ivory Coast took over at the top of its pool as it claimed a narrow 1-0 win over Burundi in a game played in Morocco.

Evann Guessand scored his first goal for the Ivorians to settle the contest.

Mohamed Amoura netted a brace as Algeria won 3-1 in Botswana to move top of Group G on goal difference from Mozambique. Amine Gouiri scored the opener for the visitors.

Guinea was held to a goalless draw by minnows Somalia in neutral Abidjan in a blow to its chances.

The Democratic Republic of Congo edged South Sudan thanks to Theo Bongonda’s first-half winner as it moved into second in Group B behind leader Sudan, which plays Senegal on Saturday.

Emilio Nsue scored on his return to the Equatorial Guinea side in its 2-0 win over minnows Sao Tome and Principe.

Nsue served a six-month ban imposed by FIFA after previously being ruled ineligible to represent the central African nation, despite being their all-time leading scorer.