Mohamed Salah was once again on target as Egypt booked their place in the semi-finals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations with a thrilling 3-2 quarter-final victory over defending champions Ivory Coast, Afrosport reports.
The Pharaohs made a flying start when Omar Marmoush fired them into the lead after just four minutes, and they never trailed at any point in a pulsating contest.
Egypt doubled their advantage shortly after the half-hour mark through a powerful Ramy Rabia header, seemingly putting them in control.
However, Ivory Coast once again showed the resilience that has defined their tournament. Ahmed Fatouh’s unfortunate own goal before the break handed the Elephants a lifeline, but Salah quickly reasserted Egypt’s authority early in the second half, restoring the two-goal cushion.
Guela Doue’s clever backheeled finish in the 73rd minute reignited hopes of a dramatic comeback, setting up a tense finale. Despite late pressure, Ivory Coast were unable to complete the fairytale turnaround as Egypt held firm.
Semi-Finalists | Egypt 🇪🇬
The Pharaohs are into the final four of the #TotalEnergiesAFCON2025! 🌟 pic.twitter.com/m152EihJaq
— TotalEnergies AFCON 2025 (@CAF_Online) January 10, 2026
The win keeps alive Salah’s quest for a first AFCON title with his country.
Egypt will now travel to Tangier to face Senegal who beat them in the 2021 final in a highly anticipated semi-final clash on Wednesday.
