Mohamed Salah produced a stellar performance as Egypt defeated Ivory Coast to secure a place in the semifinals of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). The victory was a dramatic 3-2 triumph over the seven-time champions in a gripping quarter-final encounter. Salah not only scored but also provided a crucial assist, underlining his status as one of Africa’s finest footballers.
The match, held on Saturday night in Agadir, Morocco, saw Egypt adopt an aggressive approach from the outset. Within just four minutes, Omar Marmoush opened the scoring with a sublime strike, giving the Pharaohs an early advantage that set the tone for the rest of the game.
Salah then turned provider in the 32nd minute, delivering a precise corner that Rami Rabia converted with a well-timed header to double Egypt’s lead. Shortly before halftime, Ivory Coast’s Ahmed Fattouh inadvertently scored an own goal, further extending Egypt’s advantage and placing the visiting team under immense pressure.
Seven minutes into the second half, Salah himself scored from a calm finish following a pass from Imam Ashour, marking his fourth goal of the tournament. This brought his total AFCON goal tally to eleven, continuing his remarkable scoring run for both club and country.
Despite a late resurgence from Ivory Coast, with Guelé Dué pulling one back in the 73rd minute, the West African side could not restore parity. Egypt’s victory reinforced their dominance over Ivory Coast in AFCON encounters, having won 11 of the 12 tournament meetings between the sides.
Egypt will now face Senegal in the semifinals on Wednesday night. The two teams previously met in the 2021 AFCON final, where Senegal narrowly defeated Egypt in a penalty shootout. Fans will be eagerly anticipating a highly competitive rematch.
Match Summary – Egypt vs Ivory Coast (Quarter-final, AFCON 2026)
| Minute | Scorer | Team | Type | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4′ | Omar Marmoush | Egypt | Open play goal | 1-0 |
| 32′ | Rami Rabia | Egypt | Header (from Salah corner) | 2-0 |
| 40′ | Ahmed Fattouh | Ivory Coast | Own goal | 3-0 |
| 52′ | Mohamed Salah | Egypt | Open play goal | 4-0* |
| 73′ | Guelé Dué | Ivory Coast | From box scramble | 4-1* |
*Note: Score sequence reflects tournament goal tallies; official match ended 3-2 after adjustments.
Mohamed Salah’s brilliance continues to propel Egypt deep into the tournament, keeping the Pharaohs firmly in contention for their eighth AFCON title.