Egypt Advances to African Cup Semifinals

Morocco's forward Munir el Haddadi (L) fights for the ball with Egypt's midfielder Mahmoud 'Trezeguet' Hassan during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) 2021 quarter-final football match between Egypt and Morocco at Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo in Yaounde on January 30, 2022. (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP)
Morocco's forward Munir el Haddadi (L) fights for the ball with Egypt's midfielder Mahmoud 'Trezeguet' Hassan during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) 2021 quarter-final football match between Egypt and Morocco at Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo in Yaounde on January 30, 2022. (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP)
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Egypt Advances to African Cup Semifinals

Morocco's forward Munir el Haddadi (L) fights for the ball with Egypt's midfielder Mahmoud 'Trezeguet' Hassan during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) 2021 quarter-final football match between Egypt and Morocco at Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo in Yaounde on January 30, 2022. (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP)
Morocco's forward Munir el Haddadi (L) fights for the ball with Egypt's midfielder Mahmoud 'Trezeguet' Hassan during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) 2021 quarter-final football match between Egypt and Morocco at Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo in Yaounde on January 30, 2022. (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP)

Mohamed Salah scored the equalizer and created the winner to inspire Egypt's comeback on Sunday to beat Morocco 2-1 after extra time and reach the African Cup semifinals.

Egypt fell behind to an early penalty won by Achraf Hakimi and converted by Sofiane Boufal in the seventh minute.

Egypt captain Salah reacted quickly to knock in a rebound to make it 1-1 in the 53rd and sent in a perfect low cross for Trézéguet to tap in near the end of the first half of extra time.

Egypt was left to rely on third-choice goalkeeper Mohamed Sobhy for most of extra time after an injury to Mohamed Abou Gabal, who was already in the team in place of first choice Mohamed el-Shenawy.

Abou Gabal was injured in normal time but tried to play through it. He couldn't and had to come off in the sixth minute of extra time, leaving the 22-year-old Sobhy to make his debut for his country at the end of a high-pressure game.

In the end he wasn't tested and Salah and Trézéguet combined for the winner four minutes after Sobhy came on. Salah was faced with three defenders covering him on the right wing but he went for the outside and sent a right-foot cross into the path of Trézéguet at the back post.

Salah almost had a second in the final, chaotic moments when Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou joined an attack in the desperate search for an equalizer and left the Moroccan goal unguarded.

Egypt broke and Salah chased down a through ball but couldn't force it into the empty net from a tight angle.

It didn't matter. Full time came about a minute later and Egypt went through to a semifinal against host Cameroon, which is a repeat of the 2017 African Cup final that was won by Cameroon.

Egypt hasn't won the African Cup since its record-extending seventh title in 2010. Salah made his debut for the national team the year after that triumph and is still searching for a first major title with his country.



Sabalenka Beats Stephens to Begin Bid for 3rd Australian Open Title

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus (L) shakes hands at the net with Sloane Stephens of USA after winning the Women's Singles first round match at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 12 January 2025. EPA/LUKAS COCH
Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus (L) shakes hands at the net with Sloane Stephens of USA after winning the Women's Singles first round match at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 12 January 2025. EPA/LUKAS COCH
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Sabalenka Beats Stephens to Begin Bid for 3rd Australian Open Title

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus (L) shakes hands at the net with Sloane Stephens of USA after winning the Women's Singles first round match at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 12 January 2025. EPA/LUKAS COCH
Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus (L) shakes hands at the net with Sloane Stephens of USA after winning the Women's Singles first round match at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 12 January 2025. EPA/LUKAS COCH

Aryna Sabalenka began her bid to become the first woman in a quarter-century to win three consecutive Australian Open titles, eliminating 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens 6-3, 6-2 on Sunday night in just 71 minutes.

Sabalenka is seeded No. 1 at a Grand Slam tournament for the first time and while she was not perfect in this first-round match — “Not like I played my best, probably,” she said — it was plenty good, The Associated Press reported.

As big a server as there is in women's tennis, Sabalenka did not hit her first ace until the match's 15th game and finished with only two.

She won her first major championship at Melbourne Park in 2023, then added another last January, before raising her total to three Slam trophies at the US Open in September.

The last woman to win the Australian Open three years in a row was Martina Hingis from 1997 to 1999.

“I am super happy to be back,” Sabalenka said. “I love this place.”
In the second round, Sabalenka will take on Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, who upset reigning champion Marketa Vondrousova at Wimbledon in 2024.