Egypt beat Ivory Coast in a 5-goal thriller to set up clash with Senegal

Egypt maintained their chase for a record-extending eighth Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) crown with a pulsating 3-2 victory over Ivory Coast at Stade Adrar, a contest that delivered drama from start to finish.

The Pharaohs wasted no time stamping their authority, opening the scoring inside four minutes. Emam Ashour’s seemingly misplaced pass turned into a moment of brilliance when Omar Marmoush battled through a 50-50 challenge and calmly slotted past Yahia Fofana to hand Egypt an early advantage.

Ivory Coast responded with spirit and intensity, contesting every ball and forcing openings. Evann Guessand came agonisingly close to equalising, flashing a header just wide of the upright as the Elephants gained control of possession and territory.

Also readCarlos Queiroz and GFA part ways after Black Stars struggles

Despite the pressure, Egypt doubled their lead at 31 minutes. Mohamed Salah’s corner found defender Ramy Rabia, whose looping header sailed into the top corner to make it 2-0 and put the West Africans under real strain.

Also readLaLiga: Real Madrid beat Rayo Vallecano as Mbappe scores twice

The Elephants’ dominance finally yielded reward five minutes before the interval, as a whipped set-piece caused chaos and was inadvertently turned into his own net by Ahmed Fatouh, giving Ivory Coast a lifeline heading into the break.

The goal injected belief, but their momentum was quickly halted after the restart. Just five minutes into the second period, Ashour squared for Salah, who showed trademark composure to guide the ball beyond Fofana and restore Egypt’s two-goal cushion.

Also readGhana 0-4 France: Black Princesses crash out of U-20 World Cup

Guela Doué set up a tense finale with a scrappy finish from a corner as the Elephants surged forward in search of an equaliser. Yet despite controlling much of the second half and outplaying Egypt in spells, Ivory Coast failed to capitalise on their dominance.

Egypt survived the late barrage to secure their passage to the semi-finals, leaving Ivory Coast ruing a performance full of promise but lacking the decisive edge.

The Pharaohs will now meet Senegal on Wednesday as they continue their quest for continental glory.