In a match reminiscent of the 2008 semi-final where Egypt defeated Ivory Coast 4-1, Egypt again edged out Ivory Coast with a 3-2 victory in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals.
Record seven-time champions Egypt raced into an early lead and withstood a fierce late comeback from the Elephants to keep their hunt for an eighth continental crown alive.
The Pharaohs signaled their intent almost immediately. Just four minutes in, Frankfurt forward Omar Marmoush latched onto a precise pass from Emam Ashour to slot home the opener, stunning the Ivorian defense. The North Africans doubled their advantage in the 32nd minute when defender Ramy Rabia rose highest to power home a header from a Mohamed Salah corner.
Ivory Coast, refusing to surrender their title without a fight, found a lifeline just before the break. A dangerous free-kick forced Ahmed Abou El Fotouh into an unfortunate error, turning the ball into his own net in the 40th minute to make it 2-1.
The respite for the holders was short-lived. Seven minutes after the restart, Mohamed Salah restored Egypt’s two-goal cushion, tucking away a cross from Ashour for his second goal contribution of the night.
However, the drama was far from over. Substitute Guela Doué produced a moment of magic in the 73rd minute, backheeling a rebound past Mohamed El Shenawy after the goalkeeper had initially denied Ibrahim Sangaré. The goal set up a nerve-wracking finale, with El Shenawy receiving jeers from the Ivorian contingent in the crowd as he managed the clock, but Egypt’s defense stood firm through five minutes of stoppage time.
Saturday’s victory carried distinct echoes of the famous 2008 semi-final, where the Pharaohs dismantled an Ivorian “Golden Generation” 4-1 in Ghana. Just as in Kumasi 18 years ago—where Amr Zaki and Mohamed Aboutrika put Didier Drogba’s side to the sword—Egypt once again proved to be the Elephants’ kryptonite in the knockout stages.
While today’s 3-2 scoreline was far tighter than that 4-1 demolition, the outcome remains the same: a star-studded Ivorian team sent packing by the tactical discipline and clinical finishing of the Egyptians.
