Mo Salah and Co. can continue to dream of becoming African champions. However, Egypt barely defeated outsiders Benin in the round of 16. A dream goal and a goalkeeper error decided the 3:1 (1:1, 0:0) win after extra time.
Marawan Attia was initially the celebrated Egyptian man in a tough game against Benin. The 27-year-old from the Al Ahli club in Egypt took the ball directly in the 69th minute and smashed it beautifully from 21 meters away into the left corner for what was supposed to be the decisive 1-0. But Benin equalized 1-1 in regular time through Jodel Dossou (83′). Defender Yasser El Hanafy scored the decisive goal to make it 2-1 for Egypt with a header in the 100th minute. Mo Salah went one better with the 3-1 in the 123rd minute.
“Pharaohs” live up to their role as favorites
The seven-time African champions Egypt went into the match as heavy favorites against Benin. Two wins and a draw brought them first place in Group A. The West Africans, on the other hand, coached by the German-French Gernot Rohr, had narrowly beaten Botswana 1-0 in the preliminary round – this victory was enough to qualify them for the round of 16 as one of the best third-placed teams in the group.
But the West Africans from the country of 14 million people found themselves forced into the defensive against the “Pharaohs” from the start. As expected, they built a tight defense against Salah and Co. The hope: to embarrass the Egyptians with occasional counterattacks.
Marmoush acts unhappily
But nothing came of it at first. Instead, Rohr’s protégés ran into a counterattack in the eighth minute. Omar Marmoush was suddenly up and running, but the ex-Frankfurt player couldn’t get past Benin’s keeper Marcel Dandjinou on his solo. An unfortunate situation for the attacker, who is simply not at his best at the moment. The 26-year-old is currently on the sidelines at Manchester City and has barely had a chance over the course of the season.
Mo Salah also had his opportunity, coming to the ball after 15 minutes after a cross pass from close range, but under pressure he was unable to get past the opposing goalkeeper. That’s it for the first half – both didn’t have much to offer.
Rabia fails from five meters
The game in front of – at the start of the game – only around 5,000 spectators in the huge stadium in Agadir was alive with tension, as they say. Until the Egyptian Ramy Rabia suddenly had a mega opportunity to take the lead in the 56th minute: after a Salah corner kick, the ball was free in front of him five meters from the goal, but the defender shot at an opponent’s defender on the goal line.
The stadium had gradually filled up in the second section (the gates had been opened again), but superstar Salah had not shown himself at all until then. That changed in the 69th minute. In his 110th international match, the 33-year-old asserted himself on the right side, created a majority and suddenly Attia was free in the backcourt. He took the ball directly and smashed it beautifully into the left corner from 21 meters away from the goal. It was 1-0.
Benin strikes back
The decision in a game with few chances – that’s what they thought. But the outsider reared up again. And actually equalized. After a deflected right cross, Egypt’s goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy could only let the ball pass forward – substitute Jodel Dossou thanked him and pushed the ball over the line from close range – 1-1 (83rd).
In the necessary extra time, Benin surprisingly initially had more of the game. The outsider had finally given up his reserve, felt; There’s something going on here today. But he shouldn’t be rewarded. After an Egyptian corner, Yasser El Hanafy headed backwards and keeper Dandjinou was surprised. The arc lamp sank into the net behind the goalkeeper to make it 2-1. It was certainly a durable goal that ultimately brought Egypt victory. Salah’s goal to make it 3-1 (123′) was only a correction to the result.
In the quarterfinals, the Egyptians will meet the winner of the game between Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso on Saturday (January 10, 2026).