Egypt booked their place in the quarter-finals of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations after defeating Benin 3-1 after extra time on Monday at the Grand Stade d’Agadir, following a Round of 16 encounter that remained finely balanced for long periods.

Well organised and fearless, the Cheetahs caused Egypt serious problems in the first half. Solid defensively and dangerous on the counter-attack, Benin relied on the energy of Aloko, Olaitan and Dossou, while goalkeeper Dandjinou produced several crucial saves. Egypt, despite the presence of Mohamed Salah, struggled to find space and went into the break unable to break the deadlock.

After the restart, the Pharaohs gradually increased the tempo. In the 69th minute, Marwan Attia opened the scoring with a powerful strike from the edge of the box, finishing off a move initiated down the right by Mohamed Salah. Benin refused to surrender and, in the 83rd minute, Jodel Dossou capitalised on a defensive error to equalise and force extra time.

In the additional time, Egypt’s experience eventually proved decisive. In the 97th minute, Yasser Ibrahim restored Egypt’s lead with a looping header from a cross delivered from the right flank. Benin attempted to respond, committing their remaining energy forward, but were left exposed late on.

In the closing moments of the match, Mohamed Salah put the result beyond doubt by finishing a counter-attack to score Egypt’s third goal and seal the Pharaohs’ qualification.

Composed when it mattered most, Egypt continue their journey in the competition, while Benin exit with pride after a courageous display against one of the tournament favourites. The Pharaohs will face the winner of the tie between Côte d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso in the quarter-final.

Post-match reactions

Yasser Ibrahim, TotalEnergies Man of the Match: “It was not an easy match. Benin were a good team. They scored during a difficult period for us, but we managed to regain control. We knew Benin had strong qualities. I think we dropped a bit in the last ten minutes and they took advantage of that. But the team responded well and now we are already thinking about the next match.”

Gernot Rohr, Benin Head Coach: “What we saw was a match that was a fight, a real battle, while still playing football. Two teams engaged in a tough contest. I saw a good football match. When you look at the Egyptian individual players, we don’t have the same level. Especially since our best striker, Steve Mounié, was missing. I regret his absence, because in a match like this he would have helped us a lot, particularly in aerial play. But as head coach, I am proud of my players. I take away their attitude tonight, their solidarity and fighting spirit. That is very positive for the future of the Cheetahs.”

Hossam Hassan, Egypt Head Coach: “It was a very difficult match. Before the game, I said there are no easy teams, and Benin were a tough opponent. We work to analyse every opponent in order to adapt our game. Egypt is a great football team and I want to make my people happy. We are sad about the injury to Mohamed Hamdy, which seems serious. His teammates played for him. We are mentally prepared to play either 90 minutes or extra time. I trust my team and my staff, especially the medical staff, to ensure good recovery before the next match.” (CAFonline)