Ed DoveJan 5, 2026, 05:33 PM
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Egypt advanced to the Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinals on Monday with a 3-1 win over Benin, but they needed extra time to get there in a bruising encounter that saw the Cheetahs throw everything they had at Mohamed Salah and co.
Marwan Attia's curling strike from range had given Egypt a 68th-minute lead, before Jodel Dossou poked home from close range after Mohamed El Shenawy saved a goalbound effort into his path in the 84th minute to take the tie to extra time.
A sensational extra-time header from Yasser Ibrahim broke the 1-1 deadlock after regulation time in Agadir, with Salah adding a breakaway goal in the 123rd minute for his fourth of the tournament.
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Africa's most successful team advance to the quarterfinals for the third time in the last five tournaments, and will remain in Agadir for their Last Eight match on January 10.
While the Pharaohs had the better of the chances during a cagey contest, they struggled to make their superiority count against a robust Benin side.
Egypt had twice gone close before Attia's breakthrough, with Omar Marmoush -- again the Pharaohs' most dangerous player -- spurning a one-on-one chance inside the first 10 minutes, hesitating to pull the trigger and allowing goalkeeper Dandjinou to deny him.
The Manchester City man then had a prodded effort cleared off the Benin goalline by Yohan Roche in the 21st minute, as a Salah chance broke to him, but the Manchester City forward was unable to beat the covering defender.
Egypt and Liverpool striker Mohamed Salah scored with the final play of extra time against Benin. FRANCK FIFE / AFP via Getty Images
Both English Premier League stars had chances to open the scoring in the following minutes, before Benin's lively forward Tosin Aiyegun had to be replaced with injury just after the half hour, in a bitter setback for Gernot Rohr's hopefuls.
Egypt also suffered injury misfortune 15 minutes later, as Mohamed Hamdy was replaced with injury just before half-time after a collision that he had instigated with Rodolfo Aloko.
After the break, Dandjinou was forced into an excellent punching stop to deny centreback Ramy Rabia from point-blank range as his six-yard header appeared destined for the net.
Benin had chances of their own, however, with Dossou being fed through and advancing in on goal just after the hour mark, only to find himself smothered by Mohamed El Shenawy.
Egypt replaced Ibrahim Adel and the injured Trézéguet with Zizo and Emam Ashour just before the hour mark, looking to revitalise their attack, and soon after, Salah forced another excellent save from Dandjinou as he sought to beat the South Africa-based goalkeeper.
Ultimately, it was Al Ahly midfielder Attia who made the breakthrough in the 68th minute as he met a Mohamed Hany cutback unmarked on the edge of the D and sent a thumping effort into the corner of the Beninois net, with Egypt finally finding the inspiration to beat the immovable Dandjinou.
Benin forward Jodel Dossou celebrates scoring his side's equaliser against Egypt in the AFCON last 16. Franck FIFE / AFP via Getty Images
However, despite their conservative approach to the match, loading their backline with defenders, the seven-time champions were unable to see out the contest.
A Benin cross from the right took a fierce deflection off Ahmed Abou El Fotouh, and while El Shenawy, readjusting his position, clawed the ball away on his goalline, he was only able to divert it into the path of the quick-thinking Dossou, who levelled the contest with four minutes to play.
One minute from time, Salah broke through on Dandjinou, but rather than opting to square it to an onrushing teammate, he attempted to side-foot past the 27-year-old keeper, who gathered comfortably.
Egypt took the lead seven minutes into extra time, with Ibrahim contorting his body to meet a driven Attia ball into the box and somehow summoning the strength in his neck to send the ball arching over Dandjinou, for once caught out of position.
Salah extinguished any hopes of an increasingly unlikely Benin equaliser in extra-time stoppage time, racing through on goal before firing home with the final play of the match.
Egypt return to the quarters for the first time since they were defeated finalists in Cameroon four years ago, having not been eliminated at this stage of the competition since 2002.