Lead:
Egypt's national team defeated Malawi 5-0 on Friday at Cairo International Stadium in round three of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, with Mohamed Salah scoring twice to become Egypt's record goalscorer with 70 international goals, eclipsing the previous mark of 69 held by former coach Hossam Hassan.
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Mohamed Salah reaches historic milestone — Salah scored in the 84th and 90+5th minutes, the second from a penalty kick, to claim sole possession of Egypt's all-time goalscoring record. He has now surpassed Hassan and stands within reach of the continental goalscoring record among African national teams.Ali Maher's debut as Egypt coach succeeds — Maher made his first appearance in charge of the Egyptian national team and guided the squad to a dominant five-goal victory. The squad demonstrated strong control and execution of tactical set pieces, with multiple players delivering standout performances across the match.Nasser Maher, Mohamed Hani, Omar Marmoush contribute in rout — Maher opened scoring in the sixth minute following a three-player combination involving Salah and Hani. Marmoush added a second goal in the tenth minute, and Hani scored from a long-range effort in the 39th minute as Egypt's attacking play overwhelmed Malawi's defence.Egypt maintains group leadership — The victory keeps Egypt atop the qualifying group standings with seven points. The team's next scheduled fixture is away to Malawi on Tuesday.Broadcast and media reaction — Coach Hossam Hassan, now a television commentator, revealed that Egyptian Football Association officials previously approached Portuguese coach Manuel Jose about replacing him, but Jose declined and praised Hassan's work. Multiple sports journalists and former players praised Salah's achievement and Egypt's performance.What to Watch:
Egypt's away fixture against Malawi on Tuesday in round four of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. Salah and the national team will seek to extend their qualifying momentum and further consolidate their position in the group.