Egypt beat Malawi 5-0 in Cairo on Friday in Ali Maher’s first match as head coach, with Mohamed Salah scoring twice in the Egypt v Malawi qualifier to equal the national team’s scoring record.
The Egypt v Malawi result lifts Egypt to seven points from three matches at the top of Group B in qualifying for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. It also gives Maher a clear result six days after he replaced Hossam Hassan, the man whose record Salah has now matched.
How did the Egypt v Malawi match unfold?
Egypt scored twice in the first 10 minutes at Cairo International Stadium. Nasser Maher, the Pyramids player, turned in a low cross from the right-back Mohamed Hany for his first international goal, according to Al Jazeera’s live report, published in Arabic.
Omar Marmoush added the second in the 10th minute after a mistake in the Malawi defence. The Egyptian sports site FilGoal reported, also in Arabic, that it was his 14th goal in 59 internationals.
Malawi’s best chance came midway through the half, when the goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir saved a shot from the forward Richard Mbulu. Hany then made it 3-0 shortly before half-time with a long-range shot into the top corner, his first goal for Egypt.
Salah missed a one-on-one chance in the 71st minute before heading in a cross from Ibrahim Adel in the 84th. He scored the fifth in stoppage time from a penalty, awarded after the Malawi goalkeeper fouled Hamza Abdelkarim, and chipped it down the middle.
What record did Mohamed Salah equal?
Salah’s two goals took him to 68 for Egypt, level with Hossam Hassan as the country’s all-time leading scorer, FilGoal reported. Hassan, a striker for Egypt from 1985 to 2006, was the coach until last week.
The Liverpool forward, who captains the side, could take the record outright on Tuesday, when the teams meet again.
Why does the result matter for Ali Maher?
The Egypt v Malawi fixture was Maher’s first test. He was named head coach on 7 November after the Egyptian Football Association dismissed Hassan, who had taken Egypt to the last 16 of this year’s World Cup, according to the Confederation of African Football. Maher announced his squad less than 24 hours later.
He chose an attacking line-up, with Salah, Marmoush and Mahmoud Trezeguet in the front three and Nasser Maher in midfield. Two of the five goals came from players who had not scored for Egypt before.
One home win over the group’s third-placed side does not settle questions about the team. Egypt drew 0-0 at home with Angola in their opening qualifier, before a 5-0 win away to South Sudan under Hassan.
What happens next in Group B?
Egypt have seven points. Angola, on four, host South Sudan on Saturday, and Malawi stay on three points in third place. South Sudan have none.
The return Egypt v Malawi match is in Lilongwe on Tuesday 17 November, CAF said. A second win would leave Egypt close to a place at the finals, which Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania will host in 2027.
Friday’s other matches are covered in our round-up of the AFCON 2027 qualifiers, in which Libya won in Tunisia and Kenya drew with South Africa. Earlier in the week Ivory Coast and Senegal also won, as did Ghana against Somalia.
FAQ
What was the Egypt v Malawi score?
Egypt won 5-0 at Cairo International Stadium on Friday 13 November 2026, in the third round of Africa Cup of Nations qualifying.
Who scored in Egypt v Malawi?
Nasser Maher, Omar Marmoush and Mohamed Hany scored in the first half. Mohamed Salah scored twice late in the second half, the second from a penalty.
How many goals has Mohamed Salah scored for Egypt?
He has 68, according to FilGoal, which puts him level with Hossam Hassan as Egypt’s all-time leading scorer.
Who is Egypt’s coach?
Ali Maher. He was appointed on 7 November 2026 after the Egyptian Football Association dismissed Hossam Hassan, and the Egypt v Malawi match was his first in charge.
When is the return match?
Malawi host Egypt in Lilongwe on Tuesday 17 November.
