Egypt has advanced to the quarter-finals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations after defeating Benin 3-1 on Monday night. The victory came courtesy of goals from Marwan Attia, Yasser Ibrahim, and Mohamed Salah, with Benin’s sole goal scored by Jodel Dossou.
The match, played at the Stade Adrar, saw Egypt dominate the early stages, with Attia scoring the opener in the 70th minute with a well-crafted side-footed strike from outside the penalty area. However, Benin pulled one back seven minutes from time when Junior Olaitan’s cross took a heavy deflection off Ahmed Fatouh, allowing Dossou to stab the ball home.
The equalizer took the game into extra time, where Egypt regained the lead midway through the first period. Attia floated a cross into the box, which Yasser Ibrahim headed past Benin goalkeeper Marcel Souke Dandjinou. As Benin pressed for another equalizer, Egypt counterattacked, with Zizo releasing Mohamed Salah, who scored his third goal of the tournament with a strike from the outside of his left foot.
The win sets up a quarter-final clash with the winner of Tuesday’s match between defending champions Cote d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso. Egypt, seven-time champions of the Africa Cup of Nations, had gone into the encounter as favorites, having won Group B, while Benin progressed to the knockout stages for only the second time in five appearances.
According to Mohamed Salah, the match was physically demanding, highlighting the competitive nature of the tournament. “There are no easy games at the Cup of Nations,” he said in a post-match interview. The victory reinforces Egypt’s position as a strong contender in the competition, while Benin’s performance demonstrates their growth as a team.
In another last-16 match, Nigeria faced Mozambique at the Stade de Fes, with the winner advancing to the quarter-finals. The Africa Cup of Nations continues to showcase the talent and determination of African football teams, with the quarter-final stage promising intense and exciting matches.
