{"id":25086,"date":"2025-12-27T12:45:52","date_gmt":"2025-12-27T08:45:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/azat.tv\/en\/?p=8006543211042289"},"modified":"2026-01-14T19:31:03","modified_gmt":"2026-01-14T15:31:03","slug":"egypt-afcon-2025-salah-penalty-var-controversy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/azat.tv\/en\/egypt-afcon-2025-salah-penalty-var-controversy\/","title":{"rendered":"Egypt Qualifies for AFCON Last 16 After Salah\u2019s Controversial Penalty and VAR Drama"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"background: #f7fafc; padding: 15px;\">\n<p><strong>Quick Read<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Mohamed Salah scored a controversial penalty for Egypt in their 1-0 win over South Africa at AFCON 2025.<\/li>\n<li>Egypt played the second half with ten men after Mohamed Hany\u2019s red card.<\/li>\n<li>A late VAR review denied South Africa a potential equalizing penalty; Egypt qualified for the last 16.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>If football is the theatre of the unexpected, Egypt&#8217;s 1-0 win over South Africa in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations was a masterclass in drama and controversy. On a chilly December evening in Agadir, Mohamed Salah&#8217;s coolly converted penalty became the dividing line between jubilation and fury, sending Egypt through to the last 16 after only two group matches. But for the fans, pundits, and players on both sides, the real story was about much more than the scoreline.<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s rewind to the pivotal moment: the 45th minute, just before halftime. Salah, Egypt\u2019s talisman and Liverpool superstar, went down after South Africa\u2019s Khuliso Mudau\u2019s hand grazed his forehead during a run into the box. It was the kind of incident that, on another day, might have gone unnoticed. But after a prolonged VAR review, referee Pacifique Ndabihawenimana pointed to the spot, igniting a storm of protest from South Africa. Even Salah himself, reportedly, was surprised the penalty was given. Former South Africa forward Benni McCarthy, watching from the Channel 4 studio, described Salah\u2019s fall as theatrical, noting that he did not appeal with much conviction. The debate raged: was this a genuine foul or a harsh call?<\/p>\n<p>Six minutes and 14 seconds separated Mudau\u2019s contact and Salah\u2019s decisive kick, a period that felt like an eternity as players argued, officials deliberated, and fans held their breath. When Salah finally chipped the ball down the middle, sending Ronwen Williams the wrong way, Egypt had their lead\u2014but also a cloud of controversy hanging overhead. As <em>Reuters<\/em> and <em>Yahoo Sports<\/em> reported, the decision left South Africa\u2019s bench furious and pundits bewildered.<\/p>\n<p>Just minutes later, the match took another twist. Egypt\u2019s right-back Mohamed Hany, already on a yellow, lunged into Teboho Mokoena\u2019s foot and earned a second booking. Down to ten men, Egypt faced a daunting second half, forced to defend deep and rely on counter-attacks. Salah, ever the outlet, helped relieve pressure, but Egypt\u2019s attacking options dwindled as the clock ticked on.<\/p>\n<p>South Africa, with a man advantage for the entire second half, had ample opportunity to equalize. Yet, as the minutes slipped by, Egypt\u2019s defense\u2014led by goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy\u2014held firm. South Africa\u2019s coach Hugo Broos tried to shake things up, bringing on fresh attacking talent, but Egypt\u2019s resilience was unwavering.<\/p>\n<p>The real crescendo came in stoppage time. With the score still 1-0, South Africa launched a desperate attack. Yasser Ibrahim, Egypt\u2019s defender, threw himself to block a shot, and the ball appeared to strike his hand inside the penalty area. For several agonizing minutes, VAR officials scrutinized the footage. South Africa\u2019s bench erupted, convinced they deserved a penalty. But the rules were clear: a handball can\u2019t be penalized if the ball hits a player\u2019s supporting arm. Ultimately, referee Ndabihawenimana reversed his initial call, giving Egypt a free kick outside the box instead. Relief for Egypt, heartbreak for South Africa.<\/p>\n<p>The result? Egypt sits atop Group B with six points, having previously beaten Zimbabwe thanks to another Salah goal. South Africa, with three points, must now secure their place in the knockouts against Zimbabwe. Angola and Zimbabwe, who drew earlier in the day, face an uphill battle\u2014no team has progressed with just two points since the format change in 2019.<\/p>\n<p>Throughout the match, Egypt\u2019s coach Hossam Hassan emphasized preparation and adaptability. \u201cWe approach each match individually and study the strengths and weaknesses,\u201d he told <em>Vavel<\/em>. The team felt at home in Morocco, buoyed by passionate support from Egyptian and Moroccan fans. Hassan\u2019s confidence in his squad, especially his goalkeepers, proved justified as El Shenawy\u2019s performance kept Egypt\u2019s hopes alive.<\/p>\n<p>For Salah, the narrative is both personal and national. He now has nine AFCON goals since his debut in 2017, more than any other player in that period, and is chasing Hassan\u2019s all-time record for Egypt. But as analysts like Nick Miller noted, we may not have seen Salah\u2019s best yet this tournament. Egypt\u2019s tactical shifts, especially after Hany\u2019s red card, limited Salah\u2019s influence, but his knack for delivering in crucial moments remains undeniable.<\/p>\n<p>South Africa, meanwhile, will rue their missed opportunity. Forty-five minutes against ten men\u2014and a late penalty appeal\u2014should have yielded more. But football, as ever, is a game of fine margins. \u201cWinning our first match was important,\u201d said Broos, \u201cbut that doesn\u2019t mean we don\u2019t want to beat Egypt.\u201d Now, their fate hangs on the next matchday.<\/p>\n<p>As the dust settles, Egypt\u2019s path to the knockout stages is clear, though the questions linger. Was the penalty fair? Did VAR get it right? In the end, football matches are decided by moments\u2014some clear, some contentious, all unforgettable.<\/p>\n<p><em>Egypt\u2019s victory, shaped by controversy and resilience, is a testament to the unpredictable nature of tournament football. The facts show that while technology like VAR aims to clarify, it often amplifies debate and emotion. Egypt marches on, but the echoes of this match will be felt long after the final whistle. Sources: The Athletic, Vavel, ABC News, Yahoo Sports.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Egypt secured their spot in the Africa Cup of Nations last 16 with a dramatic 1-0 victory over South Africa, thanks to Mohamed Salah&#8217;s contentious penalty and a late VAR decision that denied South Africa an equalizer.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":-1,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"googlesitekit_rrm_CAow5Nm1DA:productID":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[26528,6245,166,8746],"class_list":["post-25086","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sport","tag-afcon","tag-egypt","tag-mohamed-salah","tag-south-africa"],"featured_image_url":"https:\/\/azat.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/egypt-vs.jpg","_embedded":{"wp:featuredmedia":[{"id":-1,"source_url":"https:\/\/azat.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/egypt-vs.jpg","media_type":"image","mime_type":"image\/jpeg"}]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/azat.tv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25086","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/azat.tv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/azat.tv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/azat.tv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/azat.tv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25086"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/azat.tv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25086\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/azat.tv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25086"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/azat.tv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25086"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/azat.tv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25086"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}