“Egypt ” The Pharaohs defeated Benin 3-1 in a Round of 16 tie in Agadir, with Salah scoring deep into extra-time to seal the victory.
The 33-year old Liverpool star winger Salah netted Egypt’s third goal as the seven-time champions sealed their place in the quarterfinals of the prestigious tournament following a hard-fought match at Adrar Stadium.
Salah was involved in the build-up to the 69th-minute opener from Marwan Attia, as the clash then went to an additional half an hour of play after Jodel Dossou’s equaliser.
Yasser Ibrahim headed Egypt back in front in the first half of extra-time and Salah then converted from distance with 124 minutes on the clock.
Egypt will now meet Burkina Faso or defending champions Ivory Coast in the last eight on Saturday.
Egypt coach Hossam Hassan said skipper Mohamed Salah was rewarded for his efforts after scoring in the Pharaohs’ 3–1 extra-time victory over Benin in the Round of 16 of the Africa Cup of Nations.
“Mohamed Salah deserved the goal he scored, and it was a culmination of his great effort,” Hassan told a post-match press conference.
The former Egypt striker Hassan also said big teams need to perform when it matters in continental tournaments, adding that the Pharaohs are determined to show their quality on the field.
“A big team must show up at the right moment. In the Africa Cup of Nations, Egypt team must appear with its great history and prove that it is a big team not only by history, but also by performance and results,” he said.
Hassan praised his players’ display against Benin, but insisted there was room for improvement. “We played in a distinguished manner and at the highest level against Benin, and I salute the Egypt national team players, but there is still better to come from us,” he added.
Egypt will face the winner of the tie between Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso in the quarterfinals next Saturday as they continue their bid for an eighth continental title .
Egypt Face Benin in AFCON 2025 Round of 16 as Pharaohs Chase Eighth Title
