Salah and Marmoush push Pharaohs from the spot to WC, do-or-die for Super Eagles

Egypt are a millimetre away from joining their neighbour Morocco in the World Cup qualification following a 2-0 home win over Ethiopia.

The Pharaohs' Premier League stars Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush netted from the spot in the first half for the North Africans. They now have a five-point lead in Group A, and an away victory against their closest challengers, Burkina Faso, on Tuesday will see them return to the World Cup for the first time since 2018.

Salah opened the scoring on Friday night, four minutes before the break in Cairo, after Trezeguet was tripped in the area, and Manchester City's Marmoush then converted from 12 yards in first-half stoppage time after a second spot kick was awarded for handball.

Elsewhere, Nigeria host Rwanda on Saturday in the final game in the seventh round of group stage fixtures of African qualifiers, with the Super Eagles on their backs to the wall.

They are nine points adrift of Group C leaders South Africa and must win to stay in contention for the global showpiece.

2026 FIFA WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS - AFRICA

Wednesday

Seychelles - Gabon 0-4 (0-3)

/Bouanga 4, 34, 38, M'Bemba 89/

Thursday

Chad - Ghana 1-1 (0-1)

/Ecua 89 - Ayew 18/

Angola - Libya 0-1 (0-0)

/Al Mariami 48/

Guinea Bissau - Sierra Leone 1-1 (0-1)

/Balde 74 - Kamara 45+1/

Madagascar - Central African Republic 2-0 (1-0)

/Caddy 45+2,  Randrianantenaina 59/

Mauritius - Cape Verde 0-2 (0-1)

/Cabral 22, Borges 70/

Sao Tome - Equatorial Guinea 2-3 (2-0)

/Afonso 8 pen, 42 pen - Ganet 52, Salvador 61, Nabil 69/

Algeria - Botswana 3-1 (1-1)

/Amoura 33,  Bounedjah 71, 90+6 - Kopelang 43/

Cameroon - Eswatini 3-0 (3-0)

/Gamedze 6 (og), N'Koudou 25, Ebong 28/

Mali - Comoros 3-0 (1-0)

/Dorgeles 28, Doumbia 70 pen, Coulibaly 76/

Tunisia - Liberia 3-0 (1-0)

/Mastouri 5, Sassi 66, Saad 90+4/

Friday

Somalia - Guinea 0-3 (0-1)

/Guirassy 22, Othman 64 og, Camara O. 90+6/

South Sudan - DR Congo 1-4 (0-3)

/Majak 68 - Bakambu 13, 36, Mbuku 45+1, Wissa 57/

Kenya - Gambia 1-3 (0-3)

/Ogam 81 - Sinyan 12, Minteh 27, Barrow 38/

Namibia - Malawi 1-2 (0-1)

/Ndeunyema 86 - Mbulu 5, Mhango 53/

Benin - Zimbabwe 1-0 (0-0)

/Mounie 77/

Djibouti - Burkina Faso 0-6 (0-4)

/Irie 16, Tiendrebeogo 25, Tapsoba 36, 43, Quattara 59, 86 pen/

Lesotho - South Africa 0-3 (0-2)

/Nkota 15, Foster 63, Appollis 67/

Congo - Tanzania 1-1 (0-0)

/Moussavou 68 - Mwalimu 84/

Uganda - Mozambique 4-0 (0-0)

/Okello 48, Mato 70, 84, Capradossi 90/

Egypt - Ethiopia 2-0 (2-0)

/Salah 41 pen, Marmoush 45+2 pen/

Ivory Coast - Burundi 1-0 (1-0)

/Bayo 3/

Mauritania - Togo 2-0 (1-0)

/Yade 13, Abeid 68/

Morocco - Niger 5-0 (2-0)

/Saibari 29,38, El Kaabi 51, Igamane 69, Ounahi 85/

Senegal - Sudan 2-0 (2-0)

/Koulibaly 14, Sarr 41/

Saturday

19.00: (1.37) Nigeria (4.50) Rwanda (10.00)

***odds are subject to change***