The Match
Egypt defeated defending champions Ivory Coast 3-2 in the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final at Grande Stade Agadir on January 10, 2026. Omar Marmoush opened scoring in the fourth minute after Hamdi Fathy intercepted Franck Kessie's ball in midfield, allowing Emam Ashour to thread a pass to the sprinting Marmoush.
Rami Rabia headed Egypt's second goal from a corner in the 32nd minute. Ivory Coast reduced the deficit eight minutes later through an own goal by Ahmed Fatouh, who deflected Yann Diomande's free kick into his own net. Mohamed Salah scored Egypt's third in the 52nd minute after Rabia chipped the ball over Ivory Coast's defensive line to Ashour, who passed to Salah with the outside of his right boot. Guela Doue pulled one back for Ivory Coast in the 73rd minute following a goalmouth scramble, but Egypt held on through the final 17 minutes.
Ivory Coast controlled 70% of possession in the first half but failed to convert their dominance into clear chances. Egypt executed their opportunities with clinical precision despite limited possession.
Semi-Final Setup
The victory sets up a semi-final between Egypt and Senegal on Wednesday, January 15, 2026, in Tangier. The match will feature Liverpool teammates Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane competing for opposing nations. Senegal advanced to the semi-final with a 1-0 victory over Mali.
This meeting represents a rematch of the 2021 AFCON final, which Senegal won on penalties. Salah has scored four goals in the current tournament. Egypt seeks their eighth AFCON title, having last won the competition in 2010. Ivory Coast won the 2024 edition on home soil.
Tournament Context
The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations is being hosted in Morocco. The semi-finals feature Egypt versus Senegal and Nigeria versus Morocco. Nigeria defeated Algeria 2-0 in their quarter-final through second-half goals from Victor Osimhen and Akor Adams.
The tournament schedule includes a third-place playoff on January 17 and the final on January 18. Egypt's progression means the team will participate through the competition's conclusion, regardless of their semi-final result.
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