Egypt secured its spot in next summer’s World Cup with a 3–0 victory over Djibouti on Wednesday, thanks to a brace from Liverpool star Mohamed Salah. The win placed Egypt at the top of their African qualifying group with a match to spare, making them the third African side to qualify after Morocco and Tunisia. Ibrahim Adel also scored for Egypt, underscoring the team’s strong performance.
This qualification is a major achievement for Egypt, especially after their disappointing 2018 World Cup campaign, where they lost all three group‑stage matches to hosts Russia, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia. Salah’s 2018 tournament was hampered by a shoulder injury sustained in the Champions League final against Real Madrid.
Egypt will join eight other African nations that qualify directly for the World Cup, with the final draw scheduled for December 5 in Washington, D.C. Meanwhile, other teams remain in contention. In Group A, Burkina Faso sits second behind Egypt after a 1–0 win in Sierra Leone. Ethiopia beat Guinea‑Bissau 1–0, and Cape Verde rallied from 3–1 down to draw 3–3 with Libya, moving closer to a historic first‑ever World Cup berth. Cape Verde now leads Group D by two points over Cameroon, who defeated Mauritius 2–0 thanks to goals from Nicolas Ngamaleu and Bryan Mbeumo. Angola drew 2–2 at home with Eswatini in the other Group D match.
Ghana is also nearing qualification after a dominant 5–0 win over the Central African Republic, needing only a point from their final game. Madagascar remains second in Group I behind Ghana following a 2–1 victory over the Comoros. In Group E, Mali secured a 2–0 away win against Chad, Niger beat Congo 3–1, and Zambia edged Tanzania 1–0.
With several teams still in the hunt, the final qualifying matches will be crucial in determining the remaining spots. The World Cup draw in December will be eagerly anticipated as the qualified nations look forward to the tournament next summer. Egypt’s qualification marks a significant milestone, and the Pharaohs will aim to improve on their previous World Cup performance.
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