Egypt secured their place in the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations with a hard-fought 3–1 victory over Benin in Agadir. While the final scoreline suggests a comfortable win, the reality on the pitch was far more demanding. After 90 minutes, the score was locked at 1–1, forcing the match into extra time, where Egypt eventually asserted their dominance.
Benin, nicknamed “The Cheetahs,” applied relentless pressure throughout the contest, testing Egypt’s defensive resilience. In the 68th minute, Marwan Attia broke the deadlock with a spectacular long-range curling shot, giving Egypt the lead. However, Benin responded in the 84th minute when Jodel Dossou converted a rebound after Egypt goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy initially saved his first attempt.
With the score tied at 1–1 at the end of regular time, Egypt regained control in extra time. Yasir Ibrahim’s powerful header restored their advantage, and in the 123rd minute, Mohamed Salah sealed the victory, further cementing his legacy in the tournament. Salah’s goal brought his total to ten goals for Egypt in Africa Cup of Nations history, making him the nation’s third-highest scorer behind Hassan El Shazly (12) and Hossam Hassan (11).
This marks Egypt’s third quarter-final appearance in the last five editions of the tournament, and the seven-time champions will remain in Agadir until 10 January ahead of their quarter-final clash against the winner of the Ivory Coast vs Burkina Faso match.
Egypt’s early dominance was evident, though they failed to convert several chances before Attia’s opener. Omar Marmoush had two significant opportunities, including one in the opening ten minutes where he faced the goalkeeper alone but failed to score. Later, a Marmoush effort set up by Salah was brilliantly cleared off the line by Johan Roche.
The match also saw injury setbacks for both sides. Benin’s forward Tosin Aiyegun was forced off, while Egypt had to replace Mohamed Hamdy just before half-time. Benin goalkeeper Danzinou produced a stunning save to deny Rami Rabia’s header in the second half, and Dossou also missed a one-on-one chance around the 60-minute mark. Egypt made several tactical substitutions to strengthen their attack, but Benin repeatedly frustrated their efforts.
Ultimately, Egypt’s extra-time brace ensured a historic return to the quarter-finals, their first since finishing runners-up in Cameroon four years ago. Remarkably, since 2002, Egypt has never been eliminated at the quarter-final stage, reaching five finals and winning three of them.
Match Summary:
| Team | Goals Scored | Scorers (Minute) | Key Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Egypt | 3 | Marwan Attia (68), Yasir Ibrahim (ET), Mohamed Salah (123) | Extra-time winner, injuries to Hamdy |
| Benin | 1 | Jodel Dossou (84) | Persistent pressure, missed chances |