Egypt reach AFCON semi-finals through Salah’s magic

Mohamed Salah’s brilliant display guided Egypt to a 3-2 victory over Ivory Coast, securing their place in the semi-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

In a thrilling quarter-final clash, the seven-time AFCON champions overcame the reigning titleholders, Ivory Coast, with Salah not only scoring but also providing an assist, underlining his pivotal role in the Pharaohs’ campaign.

The match, held on Saturday night at Agadir, Morocco, saw Egypt take an aggressive approach from the outset. Within four minutes, Omar Marmoush netted a stunning opener, giving the Pharaohs an early advantage and setting the tone for the rest of the encounter.

Egypt doubled their lead in the 32nd minute when Rami Rabia converted a header from a corner delivered by Salah. Just before halftime, an unfortunate own goal by Ahmed Fathi further extended Egypt’s advantage to 3-0, effectively putting Ivory Coast on the back foot.

Seven minutes into the second half, Salah himself found the net from an assist by Imam Ashour, marking his fourth goal of the tournament. This brought his overall AFCON tally to 11 goals, reinforcing his status as one of the continent’s most prolific forwards.

Despite Ivory Coast reducing the deficit in the 73rd minute through a goal by Guelala Dui after a scramble in the box, they were unable to recover, leaving Egypt to celebrate a hard-fought victory.

This triumph further strengthens Egypt’s dominance over Ivory Coast in AFCON encounters. Across 12 meetings in the tournament’s history, Egypt has emerged victorious on 11 occasions, with only a single loss recorded.

Egypt now prepares to face Senegal in the semi-finals on Wednesday night. The two sides last met in the 2021 AFCON final, where Senegal edged past Egypt in a penalty shootout to claim the title.

Key Match Events

With Salah in scintillating form and Egypt maintaining their historical edge over the Ivorians, the Pharaohs are now firmly poised to challenge for their eighth AFCON title.