Image Credits: Imago Images
Egypt secured a hard-fought 3-1 victory over Benin in Monday’s AFCON Round of 16 encounter, though not before the Pharaohs were made to work every minute of their journey to the quarter-finals. The Cheetahs provided a stern test for Africa’s most successful nation, pushing the seven-time champions to extra time before eventually succumbing at the Agadir stadium.
A cagey first 90 minutes saw Benin’s disciplined defensive setup frustrate Egypt, with the contest remaining goalless until Marwan Attia’s stunning long-range strike broke the deadlock in the 69th minute. Jodel Dossou’s opportunistic finish four minutes from time forced the additional period, but Egypt reasserted their superiority when Yasser Ibrahim rose majestically to restore their advantage in the 97th minute.
Mohamed Salah’s clinical counter-attacking finish in the 120th minute sealed Egypt’s passage with the final action of the match, capping a tournament tally of three goals for the Egyptian captain. While it was not a vintage performance from the Liverpool No.11, he was hailed for his work rate for the full 120 minutes and was given an 8.6 by MENA outlet Btolat.com.
Speaking after the win, Salah himself said: “It was a tough game. We fought hard physically, and the levels are very close in this tournament. There are no easy matches in AFCON.”
“I’m happy with this win, especially as most of our players compete in the local league, which makes the challenge even greater.”
Meanwhile, Egypt coach Hossam Hassan said: “It was a very difficult match, Benin are a tough opponent. We are mentally prepared to play for 90 minutes or extra time. I have confidence in my team and my staff, especially the medical team, for a proper recovery of the players before the next match.”
Egypt is now set to meet the winner of the Ivory Coast vs Burkina Faso tie in the AFCON 2025 quarter-finals, with that clash scheduled on Tuesday at 9 PM local time in Cairo.
Salah has now moved his Egypt tally to 66 goals, edging ever closer to Hossam Hassan’s long-standing mark of 68 as he hunts down national history. The Liverpool star is also climbing the continent’s all-time scoring charts, sitting fourth among African greats behind Godfrey Chitalu (79), Kina Fere (71).
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