Mohamed Salah scored twice in a 5-0 victory over Malawi on Friday to become Egypt’s all-time leading scorer with 70 goals, according to Yahoo Sports.
The 34-year-old forward surpassed the previous record held by Hossam Hassan by netting a header in the 84th minute and a late penalty.
Egypt’s new coach, Ali Maher, saw his side build a 3-0 lead by halftime with goals from Nasser Maher, Omar Marmoush and Mohamed Hany.
The win keeps Egypt atop Group B with seven points after three matches.
Elsewhere, Achraf Hakimi scored twice to help Morocco defeat Niger 5-1 in Casablanca, as reported by Yahoo Sports.
Nigeria also secured a vital win, beating Tanzania 3-1 after substitute Tolu Arokodaro scored two goals within eight minutes of entering the match.
Arokodaro’s impact helped the Super Eagles reach six points in Group L, keeping them in contention for the 2027 tournament.
Tunisia faced a difficult night, suffering a 2-0 home loss to Libya that leaves their qualification hopes in jeopardy, noted the outlets.
Libya’s victory was secured through goals from Ali Youssef and Hamdou Elhouni, moving the team into a tie for the group lead with Uganda.
In Group D, Kenya managed a late 2-2 draw against South Africa after Ryan Ogam scored in the final minute of regular time.
The match featured two South African coaches, with Pitso Mosimane guiding Bafana Bafana and Benni McCarthy leading the Harambee Stars.
Despite the draw, South Africa remains at the top of the group standings with seven points.
The qualifying campaign continues as teams compete for spots in the 24-nation tournament to be staged in East Africa.
While Tanzania remains at the bottom of their group with one point, they are guaranteed a place in the tournament as co-hosts along with Kenya and Uganda.
The remaining teams in Group L must now battle for the final qualifying spot.