Africa Cup of Nations: Salah’s Late Heroics Send Egypt Through, Nigeria Cruise into Quarterfinals
The Africa Cup of Nations knockout stage delivered high drama and dominant performances as Egypt and Nigeria booked their places in the quarterfinals. While Egypt needed extra time and a moment of brilliance from Mohamed Salah, Nigeria produced a commanding display to dismantle Mozambique.
Egypt Edge Past Benin After Extra-Time Battle
Egypt secured a 3-1 victory over Benin in the last-16 encounter after being pushed to extra time. Despite controlling possession for most of the match, the Pharaohs found it difficult to put the game beyond reach in regulation time.
The breakthrough finally arrived in the 69th minute when Marwan Attia found the net to give Egypt a deserved lead. However, Benin refused to back down and stunned Egypt late in the match as Jodel Dossou reacted quickly to a rebound in the 83rd minute to make it 1-1.
Extra Time Turns in Egypt’s Favour
Egypt regained control during extra time, with Attia once again playing a key role. His delivery was met by Yasser Ibrahim, whose looping header put Egypt back in front early in the added period.
The decisive moment came in the final seconds when :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0} sealed the win on a swift counterattack. Played through by Zizo, Salah fired a powerful shot from outside the penalty area to score his third goal of the tournament and end Benin’s resistance.
Injury Concern Mars Egypt’s Win
Egypt’s victory came at a cost after left-back Mohamed Hamdy was forced off before halftime with what appeared to be a serious knee injury. Though Benin’s Dokou Dodo continued after the collision, Hamdy had to be stretchered off, drawing visible concern from teammates.
Head coach Hossam Hassan later said the team rallied together in response, praising the squad’s mentality and determination under pressure.
Nigeria Dominate Mozambique with Attacking Display
In stark contrast, Nigeria delivered one of the most convincing performances of the tournament so far, thrashing Mozambique 4-0 in Fez. The Super Eagles looked confident from the outset, shrugging off heavy rain and maintaining relentless attacking pressure.
:contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1} opened the scoring in the 20th minute after being set up by Akor Adams. Moments later, :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2} doubled the lead, capitalising on another Adams assist.
Osimhen and Lookman Run the Show
Nigeria resumed the second half with the same intensity, and any hope of a Mozambique comeback was quickly extinguished. Lookman turned provider again, setting up Osimhen for his second goal of the night.
Akor Adams completed the rout in the 75th minute following a rapid counterattack. With the result secured, Nigeria’s coach rotated his squad, resting key players ahead of the quarterfinals.
Quarterfinal Picture Takes Shape
Egypt will remain in Agadir for their quarterfinal clash, benefiting from an extra day’s rest as they continue their quest for a record-extending eighth Africa Cup of Nations title.
Nigeria now await a challenging quarterfinal against either Algeria or Congo, while the tournament continues with heavyweight clashes involving Mali, Senegal, Morocco, and Cameroon.
As the competition enters its decisive stage, both Egypt and Nigeria have sent a strong message—one through resilience and star power, the other through sheer attacking dominance.
