Mohamed Salah scored twice in a 3-0 win over Djibouti on Wednesday night to send Egypt back to the Fifa World Cup.
Salah, whose form for Liverpool has drawn criticism after a slow start to the Premier League season, made the difference as Egypt secured a vital victory to top Group A with one round to spare.
The 33-year-old has now netted nine times in a marathon qualifying campaign that began two years ago, and victory for Egypt gave them an unassailable five-point lead over Burkina Faso.
Egypt are the third African team to qualify so far – joining Morocco and Tunisia. Ibrahim Adel, who plays his football in Abu Dhabi for Al Jazira, also scored for the Pharaohs.
Salah and Egypt went to the 2018 World Cup, but he was affected by a shoulder injury sustained in a clash with Sergio Ramos in the Champions League final weeks earlier, when Liverpool lost to Real Madrid.
At that tournament, Egypt lost all three of their group games – against hosts Russia, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia.
Egypt will be among nine African teams that will feature in the World Cup tournament main draw on December 5 in Washington D.C.
Former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey was among the goals as Ghana trounced the Central African Republic 5-0 in Meknes, and need one point from their final Group I match at home to Comoros to qualify.
Mohammed Salisu, Alexander Djiku, captain Jordan Ayew and Kamaldeen Sulemana were the other scorers for the Black Stars, who led 1-0 at half-time.
Ghana have 22 points and a vastly superior goal difference than Madagascar, who are three points behind. Mali, seeded to win the group, are out of contention with 15 points.
Cape Verde edge closer to glory
Cape Verde came from two goals behind in Tripoli to draw 3-3 with Libya and edge closer to a first World Cup appearance.
The island nation of about 550,000 inhabitants off the coast of Senegal will clinch first place in Group D if they defeat Eswatini in Praia on Monday.
Known as the Blue Sharks, the Cape Verdeans are two points ahead of Cameroon, who beat Mauritius 2-0 in Saint-Pierre with Manchester United striker Bryan Mbeumo scoring.
Cape Verde have 20 points after nine rounds, two more than Cameroon, whose eight World Cup appearances is an African record.
Roberto Lopes, a defender with Republic of Ireland club Shamrock Rovers, scored a first-minute own goal as Cape Verde made a disastrous start.
Telmo Arcanjo levelled for the islanders before goals either side of half-time from Ezoo el Mariamy and Mahmoud al Shalwi gave the Mediterranean Knights a 3-1 lead.
Sidny Cabral reduced the deficit and Willy Semedo equalised on 82 minutes to set up a tense finish as Cape Verde sought a fourth goal and qualification.
A winner did not materialise, but they will be expected to beat Eswatini, who remained winless in the group after surrendering a two-goal advantage in a 2-2 draw with Angola in Lobamba.
Cameroon had to secure maximum points in Mauritius to keep alive their hopes of overtaking Cape Verde, but needed 92 minutes to ensure success.
Dynamo Moscow midfielder Nicolas Moumi Ngamaleu put the Indomitable Lions ahead on 57 minutes and Mbeumo struck in added time with his fourth goal of the qualifying campaign.
Cameroon complete their schedule at home to Angola in Yaounde and must win to have any hope of automatic qualification.
Should Cape Verde come first, Cameroon would hope to finish among the four best-ranked runners-up and qualify for play-offs in November.
The winners of the African mini-tournament, comprising single-match semi-finals and a final, advance to six-nation inter-continental play-offs next March with two World Cup places up for grabs.
Eswatini looked set to end an eight-match winless run in the mini-league when South Africa-based Justice Figuareido pounced on long passes to score twice in the second half.
Angola, with French coach Patrice Beaumelle in charge for the first time after the sacking of Portuguese Pedro Goncalves, halved the deficit through Jonathan Buatu.
Then slack Eswatini marking at a corner enabled Papel Ary to head the equaliser with 10 minutes of regular time remaining.
