Salah's Double Sends Egypt to 2026 World Cup After Dominating Djibouti

Egypt captain Mohamed Salah scored twice to guide his side to a 3-0 victory over Djibouti in Casablanca on Wednesday, sealing the Pharaohs’ qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Liverpool star’s brace helped Egypt secure an unassailable five-point lead in Group A with one round remaining, marking a historic moment for a nation that has qualified for the World Cup only four times in its history — 1934, 1990, 2018, and now 2026.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Salah, 33, who netted nine goals during a marathon qualifying campaign that began two years ago, opened the scoring for Egypt just six minutes after Ibrahim Adel put the hosts ahead in the eighth minute. Salah then added his second goal in the 84th minute to complete the win.The twice African Footballer of the Year played a pivotal role in Liverpool’s record-equalling 20th Premier League title last season, winning the Golden Boot with 29 goals, although he has struggled for form this season, scoring only three goals in nine appearances in all competitions.Egypt, winners of a record seven Africa Cup of Nations titles, have historically found World Cup qualification challenging. Salah’s leadership on and off the field was instrumental in ensuring the Pharaohs’ return to football’s biggest stage.Elsewhere in Africa, Ghana edged closer to qualification with a 5-0 win over Central African Republic, thanks to goals from Thomas Partey, Mohammed Salisu, Alexander Djiku, Jordan Ayew, and Kamaldeen Sulemana. Ghana now needs just one point from their final match against Comoros to qualify.Meanwhile, Cape Verde came from behind to draw 3-3 with Libya, keeping their hopes alive for a first World Cup appearance. They lead Group D by two points over Cameroon, who beat Mauritius 2-0 with Manchester United’s Bryan Mbeumo scoring.With Salah at the helm, Egypt joins the growing list of African nations chasing World Cup glory in 2026, while the continent’s qualification race remains thrilling, featuring drama in the closing rounds of group play.