Mohamed Salah sets AFCON record with South Africa goal as Liverpool and Egypt star closes in on Sadio Mane

No player has scored more goals than Liverpool's Mohamed Salah at the Africa Cup of Nations since he made his competition debut in 2017 (nine).

The Egypt star was at the centre of a controversial penalty decision when his nation played South Africa on Friday.

Khuliso Mudau was adjudged to have fouled the Liverpool winger in the box shortly before half time after a VAR intervention, and the Egyptian talisman stepped up to convert the resulting penalty to give his side a 1-0 victory.

Salah's goal was his ninth at AFCON, as well as his second of the current tournament, and no player has scored more than him since his debut in the competition in 2017.

In fact, only former Liverpool teammate and Senegal star Sadio Mane (15) has more goal involvements in that period than the 33-year-old (13).

Africa Cup of Nations: Can Egypt and Mo Salah win the competition?

Egypt should be praised for their performance against South Africa considering they were reduced to 10 men in first-half stoppage time and yet still managed to hold onto their lead.

The victory means they are top of Group B with six points from six and have qualified for the round of 16, and the Pharaohs have won their last three games, while they have only lost twice in their past 16 matches in all competitions.

Having reached the final of AFCON twice in the last four editions of the tournament, Egypt will be desperate to claim the trophy for the first time since 2010.

However, Mane's Senegal have also participated in the final twice in that period, beating Egypt in the 2021 edition, and they are sure to be among the favourites in Morocco this time around.

Why AFCON is important for Mohamed Salah's legacy

While Salah has already cemented himself as one of the Premier League's finest ever players, he has faced criticism from pundits such as Jamie Carragher for failing to win an international trophy.

The winger has led his nation to two World Cups, with their participation at the 2018 edition their first appearance in the competition since 1990.

However, his achievements for both club and country have at times been overlooked, and winning AFCON in Morocco would significantly boost his reputation.

When Mane won AFCON 2021, he later finished second in the 2022 Ballon d'Or rankings, highlighting the impact of international success on global perceptions.