Mohamed Salah’s life in football has never followed a straight line.
Long before packed stadiums and global fame, there were exhausting bus rides — several of them — carrying a young boy from Naghrig to Cairo, four hours a day, chasing a dream that felt impossibly far away.
Those journeys still matter, because they explain why moments like this one mean so much.
From Club Turmoil to National Duty
Fast forward to the present, and Salah arrived at the Africa Cup of Nations with noise swirling around him.
Only weeks ago, he suggested he had been “thrown under the bus” by Liverpool, igniting an uncomfortable standoff with new boss Arne Slot.
That tension hadn’t fully faded, but for now, it was pushed aside.
Egypt needed their captain, not headlines.
Zimbabwe Shut the Door and Waited
This opening match in Agadir was never going to be pretty.
Zimbabwe set up with a stubborn, old-school defensive block, happy to sit deep and soak up pressure.
Salah buzzed around, probing, crossing, shooting — but for long spells, there was no way through the yellow wall in front of him.
It felt like one of those nights where effort counts for nothing.
A Shock from Zimbabwe Changes the Mood
To make matters worse for Egypt, Zimbabwe struck first.
Prince Dube, plying his trade with Young Africans in Tanzania, made the most of his side’s first real chance.
Suddenly, the tournament’s second favourites — behind hosts Morocco — were staring at an opening-day upset and a mountain of work.
Marmoush Reminds Everyone What He Can Do
If Egypt were wobbling, Omar Marmoush steadied them.
Manchester City’s forward has endured a frustrating season in England, managing just one goal after a blistering previous year of 28 goals and 17 assists.
But on 64 minutes, he unleashed a thunderous finish that levelled the score and served as a timely reminder to Pep Guardiola of his quality.
Pressure Builds as Chances Go Begging
Egypt poured forward after the equaliser.
Salah’s delivery was exquisite at times, dropping perfectly onto team-mates’ heads and feet, but the finishing was wasteful.
Even Salah himself looked slightly off, dragging a couple of late efforts wide as frustration crept in.
The clock ticked towards stoppage time, and a draw loomed.
One Final Touch, One Defining Moment
Then came the moment that matters. In the 91st minute, with almost the last kick of the game, Salah pounced like a seasoned poacher.
No fuss, no celebration rehearsals — just a decisive finish that broke Zimbabwe’s resistance and ignited the Egyptian supporters.
In an instant, the tension vanished.
More Than a Goal, a Statement
That winner did more than secure three points.
It showed Arne Slot, watching from afar, exactly what Liverpool risk losing when Salah is absent or unsettled.
It also reminded the football world that even when he looks human, he remains decisive.
Chasing the One Prize That Still Eludes Him
According to Slot, Salah has “moved on” from their disagreement.
His focus now is clear. Egypt have won AFCON seven times — more than any other nation — including three consecutive titles in the early 2000s.
Yet they have never lifted the trophy with their greatest-ever export leading the line.
A Smile Seen Around the World
As the final whistle blew, Salah’s grin said everything.
It’s a smile that hasn’t been seen often recently, but one that travelled fast across phones and televisions worldwide. For Egypt, it was relief.
For Salah, it was another reminder that his story — buses, battles, and all — still has chapters left to be written.
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