Egypt's Dramatic Path to the AFCON Quarter-Finals

Egypt has secured its place in the quarter-finals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), but its journey has been defined by tense, narrow victories and last-minute heroics from captain Mohamed Salah.

The Pharaohs, record seven-time champions, opened their tournament campaign with a pair of dramatic 2-1 wins. In both matches, against Zimbabwe and Burkina Faso, Salah scored decisive late goals—one in stoppage time and one from an 85th-minute penalty—to snatch three points from challenging opponents [33241][32602][32958]. The trend of high-pressure performances continued in the group stage, where a Salah penalty was again the difference in a 1-0 win over South Africa, a match Egypt played with ten men for much of the second half [35433].

This pattern of surviving scares culminated in the Round of 16. Facing Benin, a team making only its second-ever knockout stage appearance, Egypt was pushed to the limit [41890]. The underdogs forced the match into extra time before the Pharaohs finally pulled away for a 3-1 victory, with Salah adding a final goal to seal the result [42308][42732].

Throughout the tournament, Egypt has relied on its star forward to navigate past stubborn defenses and avoid major upsets. While other contenders like Morocco and Algeria have also advanced, Egypt’s path has been uniquely fraught with tension [36944][37898]. The team now awaits its next opponent, hoping its habit of last-gasp escapes can carry it closer to a first AFCON title since 2010.