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Egypt have not lifted the AFCON trophy since their historic treble ended in Luanda back in 2010, and with Mohamed Salah now 32, every tournament feels increasingly like a final roll of the dice.
Their 2025 campaign gets underway against a Zimbabwe side returning to the competition after an enforced absence, and anything less than three points would come as a major shock.
Egypt v Zimbabwe, Monday, 20:00 GMT
Egypt v Zimbabwe tips
• Egypt to win - 9/25 with Bet365
• Mohamed Salah to score or assist - 11/25 with Bet365
• Under 3.5 goals - 11/50 with Bet365
Odds courtesy of bet365. Correct at the time of publication and subject to change.
Egypt to win
The Pharaohs cruised through qualification unbeaten (W4, D2) and boast an intimidating AFCON pedigree that Zimbabwe cannot match.
History also leans heavily in Egypt’s favour, with the North Africans unbeaten in the last nine meetings between the sides (W7, D2), including six consecutive wins.While Egypt’s recent warm-up form was patchy, they did end that run with a confidence-boosting 2-1 win over Nigeria, and tournament openers often bring a sharp rise in focus.
Zimbabwe, by contrast, arrive with just two wins from their last 17 matches overall, a run that ultimately cost former boss Michael Nees his job. Against that backdrop, Bet365’s 9/25 on an Egypt win reflects both the gulf in quality and the pressure on Hossam Hassan to start strongly.
Tip: Egypt to win @ 9/25
Bet explanation: This bet wins if Egypt beats Zimbabwe regardless of the score.
Mohamed Salah to score or assist
If Egypt are to go deep at this AFCON, Mohamed Salah will almost certainly be at the heart of it. The Liverpool forward remains Egypt’s attacking reference point, taking responsibility for penalties, direct free-kicks and most creative moments in the final third. Bet365’s 11/25 on Salah to score or assist looks well priced given how central he is to everything Egypt do going forward.
Interestingly, Salah often grows into tournaments rather than exploding immediately, with seven of his last ten international goals arriving after half-time.
However, against a Zimbabwe side that has failed to score first in six straight matches and is likely to sit deep, Salah’s influence may come more through chance creation than pure finishing. Even so, his involvement in decisive moments makes the score-or-assist market an appealing way to back Egypt’s talisman without needing him to find the net himself.
Tip: Mohamed Salah to score or assist @ 11/25
Bet explanation: This bet wins if Mohamed Salah scores or assists against Zimbabwe
Under 3.5 goals
AFCON openers have a long-standing reputation for caution, and this fixture fits the pattern. Egypt are unlikely to overextend themselves early in the tournament, particularly after criticism of their defensive fragility at the last edition.
Zimbabwe, meanwhile, are expected to prioritise shape and damage limitation, especially against a side of Egypt’s stature.
Despite Egypt’s dominance in recent H2Hs, scorelines have rarely run away, and Zimbabwe’s limited attacking output further supports a low-scoring outlook.
Bet explanation: This bet wins if there are fewer than four goals scored in the game between Egypt and Zimbabwe.
Egypt v Zimbabwe odds
• Egypt – 9/25 with Bet365
• Draw – 7/2 with Bet365
• Zimbabwe – 10/1 with Bet365
Odds, correct at the time of publication, are subject to change.
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The odds, correct at the time of publication, are subject to change.