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.



García Shines in Espanyol Goal and Valencia Hits Bottom of La Liga

Espanyol's Leandro Cabrera (C) celebrates scoring the 1-0 goal during the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between RCD Espanyol and CD Leganes, in Barcelona, Spain, 11 January 2025. EPA/Alejandro Garcia
Espanyol's Leandro Cabrera (C) celebrates scoring the 1-0 goal during the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between RCD Espanyol and CD Leganes, in Barcelona, Spain, 11 January 2025. EPA/Alejandro Garcia
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García Shines in Espanyol Goal and Valencia Hits Bottom of La Liga

Espanyol's Leandro Cabrera (C) celebrates scoring the 1-0 goal during the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between RCD Espanyol and CD Leganes, in Barcelona, Spain, 11 January 2025. EPA/Alejandro Garcia
Espanyol's Leandro Cabrera (C) celebrates scoring the 1-0 goal during the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between RCD Espanyol and CD Leganes, in Barcelona, Spain, 11 January 2025. EPA/Alejandro Garcia

Espanyol was grateful again that Joan García didn't end up at Arsenal last summer after the goalkeeper made multiple saves against Leganes to salvage a 1-1 draw in La Liga on Saturday.
Espanyol defender Leandro Cabrera headed in a headed pass by Alex Kral on a corner kick to put the hosts ahead just two minutes into the match.
But Leganes showed how it was able to stun Barcelona last month when it outplayed Espanyol the rest of the way. García’s timely saves were the only barrier to the small club from Madrid from taking the three points.
García made at least four quality stops in the second half, including back-to-back saves in the 74th, The Associated Press reported.
After Leganes midfielder Yvan Neyou hit the post, García dove to parry Miguel de la Fuente and then had to spring back up before stretching low to deny Juan Cruz from putting in the loose ball from a tight angle.
García was linked to a possible move to Arsenal after he helped Spain win the gold medal at the Paris Olympics.
He called the draw with Leganes, which like Espanyol was promoted last season, simply “not enough” given that they were considered rivals in the fight to avoid relegation.
“We have to find a way to win our home games against our direct rivals. Now we have to beat Valladolid,” García said about the next match against another struggler.
Espanyol was in 18th place, in the drop zone, with Valladolid one point behind in 19th after it beat Real Betis 1-0 to give new coach Diego Cocca his first win.
Valencia hits bottom Valencia sunk to last place after conceding late at Sevilla for a 1-1 draw in a matchup of two big clubs who find themselves in the doldrums.
Sevilla, whose club executives heard jeers before halftime, rescued a point at home thanks to a rare goalkeeping error by Giorgi Mamardashvili. The Georgia goalie let a last-gasp strike by Adria Pedrosa hit his arm and into the net for the stoppage-time equalizer.
Valencia had been eyeing its first away win of the season after Luis Rioja scored on the break with half an hour left.
Instead, the draw left it in last place halfway through the 38-round season and four points from safety.
“We are not able to finish off games and are receiving some hard blows,” Rioja said. “A little bad luck means we once again let points get away.”
Sevilla's disgruntled supporters called for the club executives to step down after a poor first half and then jeered its players after the final whistle.
Rubén Vargas debuted for Sevilla as a second-half substitute a day after the Switzerland forward completed his move from Augsburg. He curled a shot off the post in the 81st in one of the few bright moments for the team that is in 13th place.
Also, Girona substitute John Solís scored in injury time at Alaves to snatch a 1-0 win after he took advantage of a flubbed clearance attempt by defender Moussa Diarra.