Host Morocco and South Africa join Egypt in Africa Cup knockout stage. Mohamed Salah gets a rest

RABAT, Morocco (AP) — Host nation Morocco and South Africa advanced to the Africa Cup of Nations’ knockout stage on Monday, when Egypt star Mohamed Salah got a rest with his team already through.

Morocco made sure of its place in the last 16 with a 3-0 rout of Zambia. The hosts topped Group A to stay on course for having all their knockout games in Rabat’s near 70,000-capacity Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, which will also stage the final on Jan. 18.

Results in Group A, where Comoros finished third with two points, and Group B, where Angola also finished third with two points, prompted celebrations elsewhere. That's because teams with more than two points and already assured of at least third place in their groups have reached the last 16.

The four best third-placed teams from the six groups progress, along with the top two in each.

It means 2021 winner Senegal and Congo are through ahead of their final games in Group D, and defending champion Ivory Coast and five-time winner Cameroon are through from Group F.

Angola, which has a better goal difference than Comoros, can still go through with two points if already-qualified Nigeria beats Uganda and Tunisia beats Tanzania in Group C on Tuesday.

This time there were only cheers, after Morocco fans had whistled the team during its previous game, prompting a rebuke from team captain Achraf Hakimi on Sunday.

Ayoub El Kaabi headed the opener in the ninth minute, Brahim Díaz swept the second inside the left post in the 27th, and El Kaabi made sure of the win in the 50th with a spectacular bicycle kick – his second of the tournament.

An offside flag added to the drama as the goal was ruled out and then allowed after a VAR check confirmed El Kaabi was onside, setting off more joyous celebrations among the vast majority of fans in the stadium.

They had further reason to cheer when Hakimi went on as a substitute in the 64th for his first appearance since recovering from an ankle injury. Hakimi drew a brilliant save from Willard Mwanza on an otherwise perfect comeback.

The African Footballer of the Year will likely start on Sunday, when Morocco will play one of the third-placed finishers from Groups C, D or E, the first of what the home fans hope will be four wins to lift the title.

Mali’s 0-0 draw with Comoros was enough to finish second in Group A with three draws. Mali midfielder Amadou Haidara was sent off late.

“If we keep playing like this, we won't stay long in the tournament,” Mali coach Tom Sainfiet said.

The Eagles will play the second-placed finisher in Group D in Casablanca on Saturday, possibly Congo.

Oswin Appollis fired South Africa into the last 16 with a hard-fought 3-2 win over Zimbabwe.

The Bafana Bafana progressed in second place in Group B, behind Egypt, which drew 0-0 with Angola in Agadir. Both final group games were played at the same time.

With his team already through, Egypt coach Hossam Hassan rested his regulars including Salah, Omar Marmoush, and Trézéguet. They’re set to return for the Pharaohs’ first knockout game, also in Agadir, against a third-place finisher from Groups A, C or D on Jan. 5.

"Regardless of who we face, we are ready,” Hassan said.

South Africa needed a win in Marrakech to be sure of progress without relying on a favor from Egypt. But Zimbabwe twice came from behind and pushed for an equalizer late on.

“We repeated the same mistakes as in previous games – poor passing and bad positioning,” said South Africa coach Hugo Broos, who has complained about the lack of an ”AFCON vibe" at the tournament.

South Africa awaits results in Group F as it will play the second-placed finisher from that group – Ivory Coast, Cameroon or Mozambique – on Sunday.

AP at the Africa Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/africa-cup-of-nations

Morocco's Achraf Hakimi comes on during the second half of the Africa Cup of Nations group A soccer match between Zambia and Morocco in Rabat, Morocco, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

Morocco's fans celebrate during the Africa Cup of Nations group A soccer match between Zambia and Morocco in Rabat, Morocco, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

Morocco's Ayoub El Kaabi celebrates after scoring his side's first goal during the Africa Cup of Nations group A soccer match between Zambia and Morocco in Rabat, Morocco, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

Angola's Beni Mukendi and Egypt's Mahmoud Saber compete for the ball during the Africa Cup of Nations group B soccer match between Angola and Egypt in Agadir, Morocco, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

Egypt's head coach Hossam Hassan during the Africa Cup of Nations group B soccer match between Angola and Egypt in Agadir, Morocco, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

Angola's Gelson Dala, right, controls the ball past Egypt's Ahmed Zizo during the Africa Cup of Nations group B soccer match between Angola and Egypt in Agadir, Morocco, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

Angola's Gelson Dala, right, kicks the ball during the Africa Cup of Nations group B soccer match between Angola and Egypt in Agadir, Morocco, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

Egypt's Mohamed Salah, center, smiles as he sits on the bench ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations group B soccer match between Angola and Egypt in Agadir, Morocco, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

MIAMI (AP) — It's going to snow in Miami on Friday night.

The NHL — as part of the celebrations planned for the Winter Classic game between the Florida Panthers and New York Rangers at loanDepot Park, home of baseball's Miami Marlins — is going to make snow fall at the ballpark.

How it'll happen, well, the NHL is keeping some of the exact details surrounding the plan quiet. But some fans are going to get at least a few flakes headed their way.

“You may get snowed on,” Steve Mayer, the NHL's president for events and content, said Monday in what essentially was a message to the more than 30,000 fans who are expected for the game. It'll be the first time the NHL plays an outdoor game in Florida.

The rink is built, the ice is down — still being worked on, of course — and the ballpark feels about 20 degrees chillier than usual, which is by obvious design. The sets are still being built in some cases, but all will be ready when the teams come in for practices on Thursday.

“This is a show," Mayer said. "There’s a hockey game that goes on, and that is so important. I mean, this is a big game. Panthers-Rangers, you know, when we’re in April, this could be a game that could determine whether a team makes the playoffs or not. But we also know that people are here for an experience, for something different, and we’re going to give it to them — and we're going to have some fun along the way.”

Which brings us back to snow.

Officially, it hasn't snowed in Miami since 1977. There were some unconfirmed reports of a few flakes in the air in South Florida in 2010, and the temperature on Friday means the snow won't be courtesy of Mother Nature. Forecasters expect the temperature in the area of the retractable roof stadium to be in the upper 50s by game time for Panthers-Rangers.

But inside the stadium, with plans for the roof to be open for the game, it'll be a scene for all seasons. The NHL — which was getting the logos and lines onto the ice Monday — is planning to have everything from beach chairs to a lifeguard shack and palm trees as part of the backdrop for the game, with some nods to winter as well.

Some entertainers will be in parkas, some in swim wear.

“We’ve designed it so that winter meets summer — or let’s go the opposite way, here in Florida, summer meets winter," Mayer said. "Fire, ice, hot, cold, all of the thematics that you would think. So, half the field is going to be a Miami beach ... and the other side is as if a huge snowstorm has hit Miami. That's the dynamic that we’re going to have fun with throughout the game.”

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) watches the puck go by the net as Carolina Hurricanes' Jordan Staal (11) closes in during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Raleigh, N.C., Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker)