Record seven-time champions Egypt overcame a resilient Benin side 3-1 after extra time on Monday, with captain Mohamed Salah sealing the victory in the dying moments of a tense Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) round of 16 encounter.
The Pharaohs were pushed to the limit by the spirited Cheetahs—ranked 58 places below them by FIFA—before goals from Yasser Ibrahim and Salah in the additional period prevented the tie from heading to penalties.
Egypt will remain in Agadir for the quarter-finals on Saturday, where they will face the winner of the clash between title-holders Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso.
A Battle of Attrition
After a goalless first half, Marwan Attia broke the deadlock for Egypt, firing into the roof of the net after being set up by Omar Marmoush. However, Benin refused to capitulate, equalizing in the 83rd minute through substitute Jodel Dossou, who capitalized on a loose ball after goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy parried a cross.
Egypt regained the advantage seven minutes into extra time. Attia turned provider, delivering a cross following a short corner that Yasser Ibrahim looped over goalkeeper Marcel Dandjinou with a precise header.
With Benin committing bodies forward in search of a second equalizer, Salah exploited the space in the 124th minute. The Liverpool star broke clear and beat Dandjinou from outside the area, registering his 10th career AFCON goal and third of this tournament.
Managers React
Speaking to reporters after the match, Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan praised his squad’s mentality while acknowledging the difficulty of the contest.
“Before the game, I said there are no easy teams, and Benin were tough opponents,” Hassan said. “Egypt are a great team and I want to make my people happy. We are mentally prepared to play either 90 minutes or extra time.”
However, the victory came at a cost, with defender Mohamed Hamdy carried off on a stretcher following a collision with Rodolfo Aloko. “We are sad about the injury to Mohamed Hamdy, which seems serious,” Hassan added. “His teammates played for him.”
Benin head coach Gernot Rohr lamented the absence of his captain, Steve Mounie, who missed the game due to illness, but expressed pride in his team’s effort.
“What we saw was a match that was a fight, a real battle,” Rohr said. “When you look at the Egyptian players, we do not have the same level. We missed our best striker Steve Mounie. He would have helped us a lot, particularly in aerial play.”
Squad Rotation and Missed Chances
Egypt made significant adjustments for the knockout stage, changing 10 players from the team that drew with Angola in the group finale, with only midfielder Ibrahim Adel retaining his spot.
The Pharaohs created early opportunities, most notably through Manchester City forward Omar Marmoush, who was denied in the eighth minute by a brave save from Dandjinou. The Benin goalkeeper was instrumental in keeping his side in the game, making a crucial save against Ramy Rabia shortly after halftime and tipping a Salah chip over the bar later in the second half.
Despite the scares, Egypt’s quest for an eighth continental title continues, with Salah still chasing his first AFCON winner’s medal after two previous runner-up finishes.
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