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Salah Signs Contract to Stay at Liverpool Until 2025

Soccer Football - FA Cup - Final - Chelsea v Liverpool - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - May 14, 2022 Liverpool's Mohamed Salah walks off the pitch after sustaining an injury REUTERS/Hannah Mckay
Soccer Football - FA Cup - Final - Chelsea v Liverpool - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - May 14, 2022 Liverpool's Mohamed Salah walks off the pitch after sustaining an injury REUTERS/Hannah Mckay
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Salah Signs Contract to Stay at Liverpool Until 2025

Soccer Football - FA Cup - Final - Chelsea v Liverpool - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - May 14, 2022 Liverpool's Mohamed Salah walks off the pitch after sustaining an injury REUTERS/Hannah Mckay
Soccer Football - FA Cup - Final - Chelsea v Liverpool - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - May 14, 2022 Liverpool's Mohamed Salah walks off the pitch after sustaining an injury REUTERS/Hannah Mckay

Mohamed Salah signed a new three-year contract with Liverpool on Friday which will keep him at the club until 2025.

The Egypt international had entered the final year of his existing contract after negotiations over extending his stay dragged on for most of last season.

The 30-year-old forward's wage demands had been a stumbling block, but a delegation flew out to meet with the player, who is still currently on holiday in the Mediterranean, and came to an agreement which reportedly makes the forward the highest-paid player in the club’s history, The Associated Press reported.

“I feel great and (I am) excited to win trophies with the club. It’s a happy day for everyone,” Salah told the club's website. “It takes a little bit of time, I think, to renew, but now everything is done so we just need to focus on what’s next. I think you can see in the last five or six years the team was always going (upwards)."

Salah has scored 156 goals in 254 appearances for the club since arriving in 2017 and has helped it win the Premier League, Champions League, Club World Cup, FA Cup and League Cup during that time.

“If I look back to that time when I came (here), the club were not winning many things but I think I told you I had come (here) to win trophies," Salah said. “I think we have won good trophies together and I think we can do it again."

Liverpool won the FA Cup and League cup last season but finished second to Manchester City in the Premier League and lost the final of the Champions League to Real Madrid.

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Morocco Opens 35th Africa Cup of Nations with 2-0 Win over Comoros

Morocco's forward #20 Ayoub El Kaabi scores a goal during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) group A football match between Morocco and Comoros at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat on December 21, 2025. (Photo by Abdel Majid BZIOUAT / AFP)
Morocco's forward #20 Ayoub El Kaabi scores a goal during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) group A football match between Morocco and Comoros at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat on December 21, 2025. (Photo by Abdel Majid BZIOUAT / AFP)
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Morocco Opens 35th Africa Cup of Nations with 2-0 Win over Comoros

Morocco's forward #20 Ayoub El Kaabi scores a goal during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) group A football match between Morocco and Comoros at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat on December 21, 2025. (Photo by Abdel Majid BZIOUAT / AFP)
Morocco's forward #20 Ayoub El Kaabi scores a goal during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) group A football match between Morocco and Comoros at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat on December 21, 2025. (Photo by Abdel Majid BZIOUAT / AFP)

A spectacular bicycle kick earned royal approval for Ayoub El Kaabi as host Morocco opened the 35th Africa Cup of Nations with a 2-0 win over Comoros on Sunday.

Home fans including Moroccan Crown Prince Moulay Hassan, who greeted the players before kickoff, had endured a frustrating game as island nation Comoros, ranked 108th in the world, stubbornly held out against one of the tournament favorites.

Comoros goalkeeper Yannick Pandor even saved an early penalty from Soufiane Rahimi.

Brahim Díaz finally broke the deadlock in the 55th minute, setting off relieved celebrations around the stadium, before El Kaabi sealed the win with an overhead kick in the 74th, The Associated Press reported.

The prince, watching from his royal box, was unable to conceal his delight as he applauded.

The only blemish from a Moroccan point of view was an early injury to team captain Romain Saïss, who wiped away tears as he left the field.

“He felt something behind his knee but we don’t know if it is muscular or something else,” Morocco coach Walid Regragui said. “We hope it’s not too serious and that we can get him back later.”

Morocco’s regular captain, Achraf Hakimi, remained among the substitutes after recovering from an ankle injury.

"We are being very careful with him,” Regragui said.

Hakimi was well enough to show his African Footballer of the Year trophy to fans before kickoff.

Excitement had been building for hours Sunday and wintry showers failed to dampen the mood. Beninese artist Angélique Kidjo, Moroccan singer Jaylann and French-Moroccan rapper Lartiste performed the tournament’s official song for the first time during a spectacular light show for the opening ceremony.

But the highlight for the Moroccan fans – judging by the sea of smartphones to capture the moment – was the appearance just before kickoff of the king's eldest son beside Infantino and Patrice Motsepe, the president of the Confederation of African Football. Prince Moulay Hassan shook hands with the Comoros players and then posed for a photo with the Morocco team, seemingly unperturbed by heavy rainfall.

Morocco is backed by many to lift what would be just its second Africa Cup title 50 years after the first in 1976. The final is Jan. 18 next year.

Morocco is the highest-ranked African team at No. 11. The Atlas Lions, as the team is known, became the first from Africa to reach the World Cup semifinals in 2022.

Morocco still relied on goalkeeper Yassine “Bono” Bounou to deny Comoros' Rafiki Saïd a prompt equalizer after Díaz's opener.

“I am very proud of my players,” Comoros coach Stefano Cusin said of his team's battling performance. “We have a lot of youngsters. I think we gave a good image of Comoros.”

The opening match was played in Rabat’s renovated almost 70,000-capacity Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, one of nine venues across six cities that were constructed or renovated for the tournament.

The tournament mascot is a lion named Assad, inspired by the barbary lions that once prowled the mountains of north Africa.

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First Win for Under-fire Celtic Coach Wilfried Nancy

Soccer Football - Scottish Premiership - Celtic v Aberdeen - Celtic Park, Glasgow, Scotland, Britain - December 21, 2025 Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy celebrates their third goal scored by Celtic's James Forrest REUTERS/Russell Cheyne
Soccer Football - Scottish Premiership - Celtic v Aberdeen - Celtic Park, Glasgow, Scotland, Britain - December 21, 2025 Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy celebrates their third goal scored by Celtic's James Forrest REUTERS/Russell Cheyne
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First Win for Under-fire Celtic Coach Wilfried Nancy

Soccer Football - Scottish Premiership - Celtic v Aberdeen - Celtic Park, Glasgow, Scotland, Britain - December 21, 2025 Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy celebrates their third goal scored by Celtic's James Forrest REUTERS/Russell Cheyne
Soccer Football - Scottish Premiership - Celtic v Aberdeen - Celtic Park, Glasgow, Scotland, Britain - December 21, 2025 Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy celebrates their third goal scored by Celtic's James Forrest REUTERS/Russell Cheyne

Under-fire Celtic coach Wilfried Nancy has achieved his first win at the storied Scottish club to reduce some of the pressure on the Frenchman.

Midfielder Benjamin Nygren scored near the end of the first half for host Celtic, which still needed late goals from Kieran Tierney and James Forrest for a 3-1 victory over 10-man Aberdeen in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday.

Nancy left Columbus Crew for Celtic but had lost his first four matches in charge — including a shock defeat in the Scottish League Cup final.

“I don’t believe in luck but since I’ve been here I haven’t had luck,” The Associated Press quoted Nancy as saying. “We have hit the post in almost every game, but the most important thing is the resilience of my players."

Nancy also said he could have delayed his early December arrival but wanted to assess his squad ahead of the January transfer window.

“That’s why I came at this moment,” he said. “I could have come a little bit later but, with the club, we decided that it was the right moment because I needed time to assess the team and to evaluate."

Aberdeen defender Dylan Lobban was shown a straight red card just before the break for fouling Celtic forward Daizen Maeda. Kenan Bilalovic scored for Aberdeen in the 74th.

Celtic is six points behind leader Hearts, which beat Rangers 2-1 earlier Sunday. Celtic has a game in hand on Hearts.

Sports

Salah Unaffected by Liverpool Turmoil Ahead of AFCON Opener, Says Egypt Coach

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah sits on the bench before the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Brighton and Hove Albion in Liverpool, England, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025. (AP)
Liverpool's Mohamed Salah sits on the bench before the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Brighton and Hove Albion in Liverpool, England, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025. (AP)
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Salah Unaffected by Liverpool Turmoil Ahead of AFCON Opener, Says Egypt Coach

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah sits on the bench before the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Brighton and Hove Albion in Liverpool, England, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025. (AP)
Liverpool's Mohamed Salah sits on the bench before the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Brighton and Hove Albion in Liverpool, England, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025. (AP)

Mohamed Salah has shown no signs of being distracted by the uncertainty surrounding his future at Liverpool as he prepares to lead Egypt into the Africa Cup of Nations, Pharaohs coach Hossam Hassan said on Sunday.

"Salah's morale in training is very high, as if he were just starting out with the national team, and I believe he will have a great tournament with his country," Hassan told reporters ahead of Egypt's opening AFCON game against Zimbabwe in Agadir on Monday.

"I feel his motivation is very, very strong. Salah is an icon and will remain so. He is one of the best players in the world, and I support him in everything he does," Hassan added.

Salah did not start any of Liverpool's last five games before departing for the Cup of Nations in Morocco and things came to a head following the recent Premier League draw at Leeds United when he claimed he had been "thrown under the bus" by his coach at Anfield, Arne Slot.

That suggested a move away from the troubled Premier League champions during the January transfer window was a real possibility.

"I don't consider what happened to him to be a crisis. These things often happen between players and coaches," Hassan added.

"We've been in contact with him by phone from the beginning, and I met with him when he joined the national team camp. His focus is entirely on the tournament."

Salah, 33, is aiming to lead Egypt to a record-extending eighth AFCON title in Morocco. He has never won the continental title, but ended up on the losing side in final defeats by Cameroon in 2017 and Senegal in 2022.

His goals this year have already helped Egypt qualify for the World Cup.

"Whenever Salah's performances dip with his club, he regains his strength with the national team and becomes even better, whether by contributing to goals or scoring himself. Then he returns to his club even stronger," Hassan added.

"He needs to win the cup by helping us and by helping himself."

Egypt will also face South Africa and Angola in Group B at the Cup of Nations, with all three of their games in the first round being played in Agadir.