Salah Claims Egypt's All-Time Scoring Crown as AFCON Qualifiers Shake Up the Continent

Mohamed Salah's 70th international goal rewrites Egyptian football history, while Tunisia's 30-year AFCON streak teeters and Nigeria scramble back into contention.

Mohamed Salah now owns Egypt's all-time scoring record. Two late goals in a 5-0 demolition of Malawi — a far-post header in the 84th minute and a stoppage-time penalty — took his international tally to 70, surpassing Hossam Hassan, the man who was fired as Egypt's coach just days earlier. The timing is almost novelistic: Hassan's record falls the same week his tenure ends, and new manager Ali Maher's first match produces a five-goal rout. The broader AFCON qualifying picture is where the real drama sits. Tunisia, who have qualified for every Africa Cup of Nations since 1994, lost 2-0 at home to Libya and now sit bottom of Group H with two points. With cohosts Uganda occupying automatic qualification and Tunisia's remaining three fixtures all away — a consequence of a venue switch two months ago — the streak is genuinely at risk. Ali Youssef's first-half penalty and Hamdou Elhouni's second-half strike gave Libya a result that rearranges the entire group. Nigeria's campaign looked terminal after a 3-0 thrashing in Guinea-Bissau two months ago. Substitute Tolu Arokodaro, riding a run of six goals in five matches for Ajax Amsterdam, came off the bench at half-time against Tanzania and scored twice in eight minutes — a near-post back-heel and a close-range finish — to power a 3-1 win. The Super Eagles now have six points and a clear path: away wins over Tanzania and Madagascar, plus a home win over Guinea-Bissau, and they're through. Morocco continue to look like the continent's most clinical qualifying machine. Achraf Hakimi, the favourite for a second successive African Footballer of the Year award, scored twice in a 5-1 crushing of Niger in Casablanca. Group A is effectively Morocco's to lose. South Africa's evening was less comfortable. Leading Kenya in a Group D match that pitted South African coaches against each other — Pitso Mosimane handling Bafana Bafana, Benni McCarthy guiding the Harambee Stars — they conceded Ryan Ogam's equaliser in the final minute of regular time. A 2-2 draw keeps South Africa top on seven points, but it feels like two dropped rather than one gained. The qualifying tables are crystallising around a few key stories. Tanzania are guaranteed a place as 2027 cohosts alongside Kenya and Uganda, meaning Guinea-Bissau, Nigeria, and Madagascar are fighting for one Group L spot. The 2027 tournament will be the first AFCON staged in East Africa since Ethiopia hosted in 1976 — a fact that makes the cohost qualification rules more than administrative footnotes. Salah's record is the headline, but the structural takeaway is how quickly AFCON qualifying can flip. Tunisia's 30-year run looked permanent until it didn't. Nigeria looked dead two months ago and now control their destiny. These qualifiers reward form over reputation, and the March 2025 windows will be decisive.