Dec 23 (Reuters) - Mohamed Salah became the first Egyptian player to score in five consecutive editions of the African Cup of Nations with his late strike in a 2-1 win over Zimbabwe on Monday.
Egypt’s captain, starting his first game after four successive matches on the bench at Liverpool, fired home a left-footed effort in the 91st minute to give the seven-time champions a late victory and Hossam Hassan's side a comfortable start in Morocco, setting a new record for Egypt.
"Our national team captain Mohamed Salah becomes the first Egyptian player to score in five consecutive editions of the Africa Cup of Nations" the Egyptian FA posted on X.
Liverpool's talisman has scored in the 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023 and now 2025 editions, matching Ivory Coast's trio Didier Drogba, Abdoulaye Traore and Yaya Toure as well as Tunisian winger Youssef Msakni.
Salah now has the chance to increase his tally with two AFCON tournaments scheduled within the next three years in 2027 and 2028. A goal in each edition would allow the Egypt international to break the record held by Cameroon's Samuel Eto'o, Zambia's Kalusha Bwalya and the Ghanaian duo Andre Ayew and Asamoah Gyan.
The 33-year-old has scored eight goals in 20 AFCON games - four fewer than Hassan El-Shazly, Egypt's all-time top scorer in the tournament and three fewer than his current coach Hassan.
Egypt will face South Africa on Friday, then take on Angola on December 29, as Salah aims to finally lift the Africa Cup after losing the final in 2017 and 2021.
(Reporting by Mohamed Yossry in Cairo; Editing by London desk)
