JOHANNESBURG: Mohamed Salah scored twice as Egypt sealed qualification for the 2026 World Cup with a 3-0 win over Djibouti in Casablanca on Wednesday.
Liverpool’s 33-year-old forward has now netted nine times in the qualifiers, guiding the Pharaohs to an unassailable five-point lead over Burkina Faso in Group A.
Ibrahim Adel opened the scoring in the eighth minute before Salah doubled the advantage six minutes later and added his second in the 84th minute.
The result secured Egypt’s fifth World Cup appearance and their first since 2018. Despite being Africa’s most successful team with seven continental titles, Egypt have struggled on the global stage, qualifying only four times before — in 1934, 1990, and 2018.
Salah, twice named African Footballer of the Year, was instrumental in Liverpool’s Premier League triumph last season but has endured a quiet start to the current campaign.
Elsewhere, Ghana thrashed the Central African Republic 5-0 to move within a point of qualification, while Cape Verde fought back to draw 3-3 with Libya, keeping their World Cup hopes alive. – AFP
