Salah settles thriller as Egypt beat holders Ivory Coast

Mohamed Salah was once again on the scoresheet as Egypt beat holders Ivory Coast in an enthralling and action-packed quarter-final at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon).

After Omar Marmoush slotted the Pharaohs ahead after just four minutes, the North Africans were never behind in the game.

But Emerse Fae’s Elephants are known for their resilience and refused to let their opponents blow them away despite Ramy Rabia’s header giving Egypt a 2-0 lead just after the half hour.

Ahmed Fatouh’s own goal gave the Ivorians hope before half-time, but Salah quickly restored a two-goal cushion for the record seven-time winners.

Guela Doue’s backheeled effort after 73 minutes set up a grandstand finish but there was to be no fairytale comeback for Ivory Coast this time around.

The result means Salah’s bid for a first continental crown with his country is still on course.

He will now take his team to Tangier to face Senegal, who beat Egypt in the 2021 final, on Wednesday (17:00 GMT).

As well as losing the 2021 final to Senegal on penalties, Salah was also an Afcon runner-up in 2017 against Cameroon.

Now 33, he will have to do it the hard way from here if he is to finally lift the trophy, with either Nigeria or Morocco waiting in any potential final on Sunday, 18 January.

But he now has four goals at this tournament – his best total at an Afcon – and 11 overall, drawing him level with his coach Hossam Hassan and putting him one behind Hassan El-Shazly, who holds the record for the Pharaohs.

Heading into this game, the weight of history was certainly with Egypt, who had a dominant record against their opponents.

After this victory, the North Africans have now played Ivory Coast 12 times at Afcon and lost just once.

Marmoush looked sharp from the off and robbed a dawdling Odilon Kossounou of the ball just outside the penalty area before speeding through and finishing confidently past Yahia Fofana for the opener.

Hossam Abdelmaguid then gave the West Africans a warning, heading over an empty net after Fofana came out to punch a free-kick but got nowhere near the ball.

Ivory Coast, however, did not learn their lesson as Rabia’s far-post header from Salah’s corner doubled the advantage not long after, with the ball taking a slight touch off Ibrahim Sangare before looping over the despairing Fofana.

While the Elephants looked all over the place at the back, they were a danger going forward, with Aston Villa forward Evann Guessand’s physical presence causing problems.

Manchester United’s Amad Diallo, however, was quiet throughout and unable to exert any great influence on proceedings.

Fatouh’s own goal came five minutes before the break, with the defender unable to adjust his body position as the ball hit him almost on his own goalline after Kossounou flicked on Yan Diomande’s free-kick at the near post.

Salah’s goal seven minutes after the restart was the pick of the bunch, started by a chip over the top by Rabia which Emam Ashour was able to run on to before feeding the Liverpool forward, who just about held off his man to toe poke home.

Fofana then saved well from Mohamed Hany, while Ivory Coast midfielder Christ Inao Oulai was perhaps fortunate that the video assistant referee did not take a second look when he appeared to kick out gently at Marmoush, who went down in a heap.

Ivorian hopes were raised when Doue cleverly wrapped his leg around his man to backheel the ball in from close range after Jean-Philippe Krasso’s header from a corner took a deflection off Sangare and was clawed off the line by Mohamed El Shenawy.

But even though the majority of the Agadir crowd were urging on the holders, there was no way back this time for the side which lifted the trophy two years ago despite losing two group games and being behind in three of their four knockout matches including the final.

It means Egypt remain the last side to defend the continental crown, doing so in 2010 when they completed a hat-trick of titles.

The Pharaohs’ previous five knockout ties at Afcon had all gone to extra-time, but this time they spared their fans that agony as they held out through stoppage time.

Salah will now be reunited with Sadio Mane for the semi-final against Senegal on the Mediterranean coast in Tangier, offering an opportunity for revenge on his former Liverpool team-mate and the chance to take another step closer to fulfilling his dream of lifting the trophy.

By BBC Sports