Liverpool star Mohamed Salah on Wednesday set up the equalizer for Egypt in a 2-1 win over Guinea that secured a place at the Africa Cup of Nations finals.
Serhou Guirassy put Guinea ahead on 26 minutes in the central Moroccan city of Marrakesh and substitute Mahmoud Trezeguet leveled three minutes before halftime off a Salah pass.
Former Aston Villa forward Trezeguet turned creator after 79 minutes with a cross that Mostafa Mohamed slammed past goalkeeper Ibrahima Kone in the Group D match.
An eventful night for Turkey-based Trezeguet ended with a yellow card after he refused to be stretchered from the pitch following an injury, preferring to limp off.
Salah displayed some exquisite touches as Egypt joined hosts the Ivory Coast, Algeria, Burkina Faso, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia at the African showpiece from Jan. 13 next year.
Among the eight countries already assured of places at the 24-team tournament, only Burkina Faso have not lifted the trophy, which symbolizes African national team supremacy.
It was a third straight group victory of the record seven-time Cup of Nations winners after a stunning 2-0 loss to Ethiopia in June last year that cost coach Ehab Galal his job.
Defeat for Guinea leaves the second qualifying place from the group between them and Malawi, who are to play Ethiopia on Tuesday and Guinea in the final round in September.
If Malawi win both matches, they would finish level with Guinea on nine points and head-to-head records would determine who finishes runners-up.
The Gambia, who exceeded expectations as debutants by reaching the quarter-finals at the previous Cup of Nations before losing to hosts Cameroon, edged South Sudan 3-2 in a Group G thriller.
South Sudan equalized twice before Denmark-based Hamza Barry scored the winning goal six minutes into stoppage-time.
Rehan Angier conceded an own-goal after only four minutes in the Egyptian city of Ismailia.
Valentino Yuel leveled midway through the opening half in 31°C heat and there were no further goals before halftime.
Ablie Jallow put the Gambia ahead halfway through the second half and in stoppage-time, Peter Chol equalized before Barry became the hero of the Gambia by firing a rebound into the net.
Guinea-Bissau struggled to overcome minnows Sao Tome and Principe 1-0 through a 55th-minute Zinho Gano goal, but the three points lifted them above Nigeria to first place in Group A.
Nigeria face Sierra Leone on Sunday and a draw for the Super Eagles would suffice to clinch qualification for them and Guinea-Bissau.
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