Mohamed Salah makes the difference in Egypt’s fightback victory over Morocco

A solid defence plus Mohamed Salah equals progress. It might not be particularly edifying or good to watch but it does seem to work. This was a dismal game, two hours of spoiling with a dusting of football but, in the football that was played, Salah was decisive. He scored the equaliser and set up the winner, so Egypt will meet Cameroon in Thursday’s semi-final, a meeting of the two most successful sides in Cup of Nation’s history.

Egypt had ground their way to this stage, scoring only twice in four games. That’s the way it has always been for Carlos Queiroz and for all the success it has brought him, it can threaten to come unstuck if his side concedes early. Here they were behind inside six minutes, and it would have been earlier but for a weirdly extended VAR check. Ayman Ashraf clearly hacked down Achraf Hakimi and Soufiane Boufal caressed home the penalty.

That forced Egypt out and, in the brief outbreaks of football between the whinging, the squabbling and the feigning of injury, there were moments when they threatened to look quite enterprising. But only moments, because this was a game that was rarely allowed to get going. It was a match in which the respective benches maintained a state of constant tension and at least as much energy was expended shouting at the fourth official as in trying to direct affairs on the pitch.

The second half began with a brief football match. Egypt stopped moaning and started playing and the effect was immediate. Salah, having been peripheral, suddenly became a central figure, running at Morocco.

He created a chance that Trézéguet, a half-time substitute for the injured Ahmed Hegazi, volleyed just wide. His involvement helped force a corner and, after Mostafa Mohamed’s header was