Egypt needed a late penalty from Mohamed Salah to rescue 2-2 draw against Mozambique in their opening Africa Cup of Nations clash on Sunday evening.
The Pharaohs as expected had Mohamed Salah leading the line before Mostafa Mohamed, Mohamed Elneny, Zizo and Mahmoud Trezeguet picked out the rest of eleven, while the Mambas were led out by the ageless Elias Pelembe as Kaizer Chiefs' Edmilson Dove earned a start too.
Mohamed hit the North Africans off to the right footing on two minutes when he picked up a loose ball from Salah's mis-kick and applied a turn to fire in the bottom-corner.
Pelembe looked to rile up the Mambas with the trademark runs towards the wide side of the Egyptian defence, but the 40-year-old failed to get a decisive end-product.
Trezeguet was denied soon at the other end when he latched on a cutback out on the near side of the box to slam a low shot against the foot of the post.
Egypt's Mohamed Hamdy Sharaf nearly gifted the Mambas a route back with a side-foot shot towards his own-goal after looking to clear a cross, but Mohamed El Shenawy bailed him out.
Pelembe didn't come out for the second period and was replaced by Bruno Langa before Clesio Bauque stepped in ahead of Gildo Vilanculos in the Mambas's double change.
The introductions energised Mozambique ten minutes in as Domingos sent in a delivery which Witi latched onto to beat El Shenaway and level matters.
Substitute Bauque completed the comeback two minutes apart after he brought a smartly weighted supply from Guima in his stride before calmly slotting home.
Salah missed a glorious chance very late when he snapped an inviting delivery after the Mambas fluffed their lines wide of the mark.
However, there were drama seven minutes of stoppage time after the pitch-side intervened to give the Pharaohs a spot-kick following a foul on Ahmed Hassan and Salah atoned with a powerful conversion.
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