Egypt survived a fierce challenge from Ivory Coast to win 3-2 in a dramatic Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinal at Stade Adrar on Saturday. The victory keeps the Pharaohs’ dream of a record-extending eighth continental title alive.
Determined to set the tone early, Omar Marmoush pounced on a loose ball in the Ivory Coast penalty area in just the 4th minute, calmly slotting past goalkeeper Yahia Fofana to give his side a perfect start.
Despite falling behind, Ivory Coast responded well. They controlled much of the possession and pressure in the first half, with Evann Guessand coming close with a headed chance. However, Egypt showed their threat from set-pieces. Just after the half-hour mark, defender Ramy Rabia rose highest to meet a Mohamed Salah corner, his powerful header looping into the net to double Egypt’s lead.
The Ivorian pressure finally paid off before the break. A well delivered free-kick into the Egyptian box was deflected into his own net by Ahmed Fatouh, giving the Elephants a crucial goal and renewed hope heading into halftime.
Any momentum for Ivory Coast was sharply halted early in the second half. In the 50th minute, a clever cut-back from Emam Ashour found Mohamed Salah in space, and the Egyptian captain made no mistake, restoring his team’s two-goal advantage.
Ivory Coast refused to surrender. Their relentless pressure was rewarded when Guela Doué managed to force the ball over the line from a corner kick, setting up a tense final period. Despite dominating possession and creating several chances, the Elephants could not find an equalizer against a resolute Egyptian defense.
After several minutes of added time, the final whistle confirmed Egypt’s place in the semifinals. While Ivory Coast will reflect on a strong performance that ultimately fell short, the Pharaohs demonstrated crucial composure to secure the win.
Egypt will now face Senegal on Wednesday for a place in the AFCON final.
