Egypt ended Ivory Coast’s title defence at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) with a thrilling 3-2 quarter-final victory on Friday night, January 10, earning a semi-final showdown against Senegal.
The seven-time champions wasted no time asserting themselves, opening the scoring in the fourth minute when Omar Marmoush capitalized on a precise Emam Ashour cross to give Egypt an early lead.
Ivory Coast struggled to gain control as Egypt continued to dominate, and the pressure paid off again in the 32nd minute. Defender Ramy Rabia rose highest to head home from a corner delivered by Mohamed Salah, extending Egypt’s advantage.
However, a defensive error five minutes before halftime brought the Elephants back into the contest. Ahmed Aboul-Fatouh inadvertently diverted the ball into his own net, reducing the deficit and boosting Ivory Coast’s confidence heading into the break.
After the interval, Egypt quickly regained control. Seven minutes into the second half, Salah restored the two-goal lead with a composed finish from another sharp pass by Ashour.
Ivory Coast continued to fight, dominating possession and pressing forward, and pulled one back in the 73rd minute when Guela Doué found the net, setting up a tense final stretch.
The closing minutes were frantic, with the defending champions pressing hard. Egypt goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy made crucial saves and was later booked for time-wasting, but the Pharaohs expertly managed the clock to secure the win.
Despite controlling 71% of possession and taking more shots, Ivory Coast were undone by Egypt’s clinical finishing and solid defence. Egypt converted four of their six shots on target, proving decisive in the end.
The victory propels Egypt into the AFCON semi-finals, where they will face Senegal on Wednesday, January 14.