Egypt has advanced to the quarter-finals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) after a grueling 3-1 extra-time victory over Benin on Monday, Okay News reports. The Pharaohs were forced to dig deep at the Stade d’Agadir, eventually breaking the resolve of a resilient Benin side that pushed the seven-time champions to the limit.
The match remained a tense, goalless affair until the 69th minute when Egyptian midfielder Marwan Attia broke the deadlock with a stunning strike into the top corner from the edge of the area. However, Benin responded in the 83rd minute as Jodel Dossou pounced on a loose ball following a deflected cross to force the game into extra time.
The breakthrough for Egypt finally came in the 97th minute of extra time, when defender Yasser Ibrahim connected with a set-piece, looping a header past Cheetahs goalkeeper Marcel Dandjinou. As Benin pushed forward for another equalizer, captain Mohamed Salah sealed the win in the 124th minute with a piece of individual brilliance, curling a left-footed strike from outside the box for his 10th career AFCON goal.
With this victory, Egypt moves one step closer to ending their continental trophy drought. They are now set to face the winner of the clash between Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso in the quarter-finals this Saturday.
