Mohamed Salah snatched a dramatic stoppage-time winner as Egypt came from behind to beat Zimbabwe 2-1 in their first game at the Africa Cup of Nations finals.
Egypt's captain, starting his first game after four successive matches on the bench at Liverpool, fired home a left-footed effort in the 91st minute to earn the seven-times champions a late victory after Zimbabwe had stunned them by going ahead in the first half.
Egypt laid an early siege to Zimbabwe’s goal, but it was the underdogs who netted first through Prince Dube in the 20th minute.
It was left to Egypt’s Premier League contingent of Omar Marmoush, who equalised in the 64th minute, and talisman Salah to see them to a last-gasp victory.
Salah had come into the tournament in Morocco under the spotlight following a fiery outburst after being dropped by the Premier League champions, and struggled to find his rhythm for most of the match at the Grande Stade d’Agadir. When it counted, however, he swept home the winner to see Egypt join South Africa, who beat Angola 2-1 earlier in Marrakech, at the top of Group B.
It was as much as Egypt deserved, breaking a run of six successive draws over the last two editions of the Cup of Nations.
Lyle Foster scored a superb winner from outside the box to give South Africa, opponents at next summer's World Cup for the Republic of Ireland should they qualify, victory, the first time they have won their opening match at the continental finals in 21 years.
South Africa also had a goal disallowed and struck the crossbar, just about deserving the nervy victory as Angola also had chances and will be disappointed not to have got something from the game. They took the lead on 21 minutes when Oswin Appollis showed neat footwork in the box to work a shooting chance and put the ball in the bottom corner of the net, but Angola equalised before the break as Show got a touch to Fredy's free kick to steer the ball into the net.
The winning moment came after 79 minutes when Foster was teed up 20 metres out and curled his shot into the top corner of the net to give the bronze medallists from two years ago a positive start to their campaign.
Zambia's Patson Daka scored with a spectacular diving header in stoppage time to see his side come from behind and force a 1-1 draw with Mali in their opening Group A clash.
Mali looked in control for most of the encounter but paid the price for sitting back in the closing stages as Zambia staged a late recovery with Daka leaping through the air to force home Mathews Banda’s curling cross two minutes into stoppage time at the end of the game.
Lassine Sinayoko had taken advantage of sloppy defending to give Mali a 62nd-minute lead after his strike partner El Bilal Toure had a first-half penalty saved
