Mohamed Salah scores as Egypt march on in Africa Cup of Nations qualifying

Mauritania offer stiff resistance before falling to 2-0 defeat in Cairo

Egypt's Mohamed Salah fights for the ball with Mouhsine Bodda of Mauritania during the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Cairo on Friday, October 11, 2024. EPA

Mohamed Salah scored for Egypt in Cairo. EPA

Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring the second goal for Egypt against Mauritania. EPA

Mohamed Salah after scoring against Mauritania in Cairo. EPA

Mohamed Salah fights for the ball with Aly Abeid, second right, and Bodda Mouhsine of Mauritania. EPA

Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring. EPA

Mohamed Salah was on target to help Egypt maintain their 100 per cent record in 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers with a 2-0 home win over Mauritania.

Record seven-time African champions Egypt faced stubborn resistance from Mauritania in Cairo until Mahmoud 'Trezeguet' Hassan netted 69 minutes into the Group C clash.

Prolific Liverpool scorer Salah put the outcome beyond doubt with a second goal 10 minutes later to maintain the perfect record of the Pharaohs after three rounds.

Runaway leaders Egypt have nine points, leaving Cape Verde, Botswana and Mauritania - all with three - to fight for the second qualifying place for the 2025 finals in Morocco.

Salah's superb form this season has filled Egypt with confidence as they struggled without the injured star at the Afcon in January. However, the Pharaohs have also pinned their hopes on forward Omar Marmoush, who has enjoyed a blistering start to the season in the Bundesliga Eintracht Frankfurt.

Meanwhile, Comoros shocked Tunisia 1-0 to end a run of 16 consecutive home victories by the Carthage Eagles in Afcon qualifying.

French second-tier league forward Rafiki Said scored midway through the second half in Rades to lift Comoros to second in Group A, one point behind former champions Tunisia.

The tiny island nation of Comoros have a habit of causing upsets, most notably when beating Ghana to reach the second round at the 2022 Afcon.

But the lack of a international-standard stadium in Moroni, means the Comorans must host Tunisia on Tuesday in Abidjan, the Ivorian commercial capital.

It was Tunisia's first home defeat in Afcon qualifiers since 2010 but they remain on top of Group A with six points from three games.

The top two teams in each pool advance to the 24-team finals in Morocco next year.

In other matches, Nigeria needed a late goal to seal a 1-0 home win over Libya as German-born midfielder Fisayo Dele-Bashiru netted four minutes from the end to rescue the 2023 finalists.

It was an important win for Nigeria who top Group D and are five points ahead of third-placed Rwanda with three games remaining.

Ivory Coast eased past Sierra Leone 4-1 in San Pedro as Franck Kessie scored a brace, both netting and missing a penalty. Nicolas Pepe was also on target as they made it three wins from three.

Sadio Mane and Nicolas Jackson were both on the scoresheet for Senegal as they beat 10-man Malawi 4-0 in Diamniadio. Senegal and Burkina Faso are each on seven points at the top of the pool and favourites to qualify.