Mohamed Salah once again proved decisive as Egypt booked their place in the Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinals, but only after a punishing extra-time battle against a fearless Benin side. The Pharaohs eventually prevailed 3–1 in a bruising contest in Agadir on Monday.
Benin matched Egypt physically and tactically for long stretches, forcing Africa’s most decorated national team to dig deep before sealing progression late in extra time.
Late Drama Sends Match Beyond 90 Minutes
Egypt finally broke the deadlock in the 68th minute when Marwan Attia unleashed a superb curling strike from distance, giving the Pharaohs a deserved lead after sustained pressure.
However, Benin refused to surrender. In the 84th minute, goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy produced a sharp save, but the rebound fell kindly for Jodel Dossou, who reacted quickest to poke home and force extra time.
Extra-Time Heroics Decide the Contest
With tension rising, Egypt found their breakthrough seven minutes into extra time. Yasser Ibrahim produced a sensational header, contorting his body to guide Attia’s driven delivery over goalkeeper Marcel Dandjinou, catching the Benin defense off guard.
As Benin pushed desperately for another equaliser, space opened up. In the 123rd minute, Salah raced clear on the counterattack and finished calmly, scoring his third goal of the tournament and finally ending Benin’s resistance.
Egypt Dominant but Frustrated
Egypt created the clearer chances throughout regulation time but struggled to convert dominance into goals. Omar Marmoush missed a golden early opportunity, hesitating when through on goal inside the opening ten minutes, while another effort was cleared off the line by Yohan Roche.
Salah also tested Dandjinou on multiple occasions, with the Benin goalkeeper delivering an outstanding performance to keep his side in contention deep into the match.
Injuries and Intensity Shape the Match
The physical nature of the contest took its toll. Benin lost key forward Tosin Aiyegun to injury midway through the first half, while Egypt were forced to replace Mohamed Hamdy shortly before the break following a heavy collision.
Despite adopting a cautious, defense-heavy setup, Egypt were unable to see out the match in normal time a rare lapse that invited Benin back into contention.
Pharaohs March On
The victory sends seven-time AFCON champions Egypt into the quarterfinals for the third time in the last five tournaments. They will remain in Agadir for their Last Eight clash on January 10, as they continue their pursuit of continental glory.
After falling short in Cameroon four years ago, Egypt are once again among the final contenders and with Salah in decisive form, belief is growing that another deep run is firmly within reach.
Siara Costa is a football editor and writer covering both European men’s and women’s football, with a focus on league competitions, match coverage, and in-depth storytelling.
