Egypt delivered a commanding performance on Tuesday during Matchday Two of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2027 qualifiers, securing a dominant 5-0 victory over South Sudan at the Juba Stadium. Playing without captain Mohamed Salah-who was rested by head coach Hossam Hassan due to the venue’s artificial turf-the seven-time African champions bounced back emphatically from their opening draw against Angola to take control of Group B.
The breakthrough came in the 36th minute when Mostafa Zico broke the deadlock, firing past the South Sudanese defense to give the Pharaohs a 1-0 lead heading into halftime. Zico’s opening strike settled visiting nerves after a disciplined early defensive block from the home side.
Egypt seized control after the interval. Omar Marmoush doubled the advantage just four minutes into the second half with a sharp finish. As the match progressed, head coach Hossam Hassan introduced tactical changes, and the substitutes paid immediate dividends.
Substitute Ibrahim Adel added a third goal in the 75th minute before Marmoush struck again eight minutes later to net his second of the afternoon. In the second minute of stoppage time, fellow substitute Hamza Abdelkarim capped off the rout, sealing an emphatic 5-0 win that leaves Egypt on four points from two matches.
Major Shocks Shake AFCON 2027 Qualifiers Across the Continent
While Egypt cruised to victory in Juba, Tuesday’s fixtures delivered extraordinary upsets elsewhere in the qualification campaign. In Group L, Guinea-Bissau stunned continental powerhouses Nigeria with a resounding 3-0 victory on the Super Eagles’ home turf. Goals from Franculino, Mama Balde, and Alvaro Djalo propelled Guinea-Bissau to a perfect six points, leaving Nigeria stranded on three points after two matches.
Meanwhile, Group C witnessed a dramatic collapse as Ghana surrendered a two-goal lead to lose 4-2 against The Gambia. Early goals from Ernest Nuamah and Felix Afena-Gyan had put the Black Stars comfortably ahead, but a remarkable comeback featuring strikes from Muhammed Badamosi, Omar Colley, and a brace by Ebrima Colley completely turned the fixture on its head.
Other Key Results from Matchday Two
Elsewhere in the qualification groups, Morocco maintained their flawless start in Group A by defeating Lesotho 2-0, courtesy of goals from Brahim Diaz and Azzedine Ounahi. In Group J, Senegal earned their first victory under new coach Patrick Vieira, edging Ethiopia 1-0 thanks to an early strike from Ibrahim Mbaye. Mozambique also shone in Group J, thrashing Sudan 4-1 following a dominant second-half display.
In Group I, Algeria rescued a 2-2 draw away against Burundi after falling two goals behind early in the match, while Comoros secured a narrow 1-0 win over Namibia in Group G. The qualifiers will resume as teams fight to secure their places in the continental tournament.
Group B Standings Overview
- Egypt: 4 points (2 matches played)
- Angola: Points pending completion of group fixtures
- Malawi: Points pending completion of group fixtures
- South Sudan: 0 points (2 matches played)
