Egypt edged past Benin in a gripping Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Round of 16 tie on Monday, advancing to the quarter-finals with a 3-1 extra-time victory in Agadir. The seven-time champions survived a spirited challenge from the Cheetahs to keep their title bid alive.
The match, played at Stade Adrar, was a tense affair that saw Marwan Attia break the deadlock in the 69th minute with a stunning long-range strike to give Egypt the lead after sustained pressure.
However, Benin responded late in regulation time as Jodel Dossou capitalised on a loose ball to level the score in the 83rd minute, forcing the contest into extra time and stunning a cheering Egyptian contingent.
Extra time belonged to Egypt. Defender Yasser Ibrahim nodded home early in the added period to restore the Pharaohs’ advantage, before captain Mohamed Salah sealed the win in the 124th minute with a composed finish to make it 3-1 and send Egypt into the quarter-finals.
Salah, the Liverpool star and focal point of Egypt’s attack, celebrated a crucial goal that underscored his importance to the side’s ambitions in Morocco. His decisive strike came after a quick counter-attack and was met with jubilant scenes from fans at the seaside venue.
The win keeps Egypt’s hopes of lifting a record-extending eighth AFCON title alive as they now prepare to face either defending champions Ivory Coast or Burkina Faso in the quarter-finals later this week.
Benin, appearing in the knockout phase as one of the best third-placed teams, exited the tournament with admiration for their resilience but ultimately could not contain the North African giants over 120 minutes.
