NAIROBI, Kenya- Egypt booked their place in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 quarter-finals with a hard-fought 3-1 extra-time win over Benin in the round of 16 on Monday in Agadir, Morocco.
Despite a tightly contested match that required extra time to separate the sides, Manchester City forward Omar Marmoush played a pivotal role by testing Benin’s goalkeeper with early chances and keeping the pressure on the visitors’ defence.
Attia, Ibrahim and Salah Deliver in Extra Time
The breakthrough came late in normal time when Marwan Attia scored a superb strike from outside the box, giving Egypt the lead in the 69th minute.
However, Benin’s Jodel Dossou equalised in the 83rd minute, sending the match into extra time.
In the added 30 minutes, defender Yasser Ibrahim nodded home to restore Egypt’s advantage before Mohamed Salah sealed the win with a composed finish, ensuring a 3-1 victory and progression into the last eight.
Marmoush’s Involvement Throughout
Although Marmoush did not score, he was influential in Egypt’s attacking play — particularly in the opening phases, where his early attempts were denied by Benin goalkeeper Marcel Dandjinou and defended off the line by Benin’s back line.
His ability to stretch the opposition and create space helped the Pharaohs maintain an attacking threat across both normal and extra time, complementing the creative play of Salah and Attia.
What This Means for Egypt
The result sends seven-time AFCON champions Egypt into the quarter-finals, where they will face either Ivory Coast or Burkina Faso in the next round.
The victory over Benin came after a competitive group stage in which Egypt displayed resilience and attacking quality, including a 2-1 comeback win against Zimbabwe in the group phase in which Marmoush scored the equaliser before Salah clinched the victory.
Quarter-Final Hopes
As Egypt advance to the last eight, fans will look to Marmoush, Salah and the rest of the squad to maintain their momentum.
The Pharaohs remain one of the favourites in the competition, aiming for their eighth AFCON title and building on a strong tactical framework under their coaching staff.