Egypt Stuns Ivory Coast to Reach AFCON Semifinals with Thrilling 3-2 Victory
In a night that will be etched in the memories of Egyptian fans for years to come, the Pharaohs staged an incredible comeback against Côte d'Ivoire to book their spot in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) semifinals. The 3-2 win was Egypt's best performance since they beat the same opponents 4-1 in the semi-finals of Ghana 2008, and it marked a significant milestone for a team that has struggled to regain its footing in recent years.
Under coach Hossam Hassan, who led Egypt to three consecutive titles before stepping down, his side looked like a completely different team. They adopted a 4-3-1-2 formation, which proved to be highly effective in nullifying Côte d'Ivoire's attacking threat. The Egyptian midfielders were quick to press, and their constant harassment of the Ivorian defense led to several scoring opportunities.
The opening goal was scored by Omar Marmoush after just four minutes, with a clinical finish that would have been out of place in one of Egypt's earlier matches. However, it was not just the individual performances that made this win special – it was the collective energy and wit displayed by the team. They were like a well-oiled machine, working together to create scoring chances and frustrate their opponents.
Salah, The Egyptian Legend
The match will be remembered for its echoes of Egypt's golden age under Hassan Shehata. However, this win also marked an opportunity for Mohamed Salah to exact revenge on his former Liverpool teammate Sadio Mané. In the 2022 AFCON final, Mané scored the winning penalty before Salah had even taken his chance.
Salah's performances have been inconsistent throughout the tournament, but against Côte d'Ivoire, he was sublime. His cleverly shaped pass set up Marmoush for Egypt's second goal, and it was a moment that showcased his class. But more importantly, this win will give Egypt the confidence to take on Senegal in the semifinals.
Egypt's path forward
It would be premature to say that Egyptian football is back to where it was 20 years ago, but this win has been a significant step in the right direction. Under Hassan, his team played with an energy and wit that recalled the golden age of Shehata's side. The Pharaohs have now reached the semifinals, which will be a daunting task against Senegal.
However, Egypt is ready for the challenge. They have shown that they can beat one of Africa's top teams in Côte d'Ivoire, and now it's time to put right more recent football history. With Salah, Marmoush, and other talented players at their disposal, Egypt will look to cause a major upset against Senegal in the semifinals.
In a night that will be etched in the memories of Egyptian fans for years to come, the Pharaohs staged an incredible comeback against Côte d'Ivoire to book their spot in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) semifinals. The 3-2 win was Egypt's best performance since they beat the same opponents 4-1 in the semi-finals of Ghana 2008, and it marked a significant milestone for a team that has struggled to regain its footing in recent years.
Under coach Hossam Hassan, who led Egypt to three consecutive titles before stepping down, his side looked like a completely different team. They adopted a 4-3-1-2 formation, which proved to be highly effective in nullifying Côte d'Ivoire's attacking threat. The Egyptian midfielders were quick to press, and their constant harassment of the Ivorian defense led to several scoring opportunities.
The opening goal was scored by Omar Marmoush after just four minutes, with a clinical finish that would have been out of place in one of Egypt's earlier matches. However, it was not just the individual performances that made this win special – it was the collective energy and wit displayed by the team. They were like a well-oiled machine, working together to create scoring chances and frustrate their opponents.
Salah, The Egyptian Legend
The match will be remembered for its echoes of Egypt's golden age under Hassan Shehata. However, this win also marked an opportunity for Mohamed Salah to exact revenge on his former Liverpool teammate Sadio Mané. In the 2022 AFCON final, Mané scored the winning penalty before Salah had even taken his chance.
Salah's performances have been inconsistent throughout the tournament, but against Côte d'Ivoire, he was sublime. His cleverly shaped pass set up Marmoush for Egypt's second goal, and it was a moment that showcased his class. But more importantly, this win will give Egypt the confidence to take on Senegal in the semifinals.
Egypt's path forward
It would be premature to say that Egyptian football is back to where it was 20 years ago, but this win has been a significant step in the right direction. Under Hassan, his team played with an energy and wit that recalled the golden age of Shehata's side. The Pharaohs have now reached the semifinals, which will be a daunting task against Senegal.
However, Egypt is ready for the challenge. They have shown that they can beat one of Africa's top teams in Côte d'Ivoire, and now it's time to put right more recent football history. With Salah, Marmoush, and other talented players at their disposal, Egypt will look to cause a major upset against Senegal in the semifinals.
. It's like they're proving everyone wrong and showing that they still got it! 
Their win over Ivory Coast was super impressive and I'm so hyped for them to take on Senegal in the semis 
. The fact that they played with such energy and teamwork is giving me all the feels 
. And can we talk about Salah for a sec? 
He's like a superhero out there, saving the day one pass at a time 
. I'm not gonna lie, this win has given Egypt my full support 
. Bring on Senegal! 
They deserve it after that insane comeback against Ivory Coast!!! The squad is looking SO strong with Salah on fire 
and Marmoush scoring those sick goals 
! Coach Hassan is a genius, I mean I knew he was going to bring the magic back but WOWWWW 
this win has given them so much confidence for the semis against Senegal. Bring it on!!! 
this win for Egypt is like a dream come true! i mean they beat Côte d'Ivoire 3-2 
which really paid off. and can we talk about Mohamed Salah for a sec? 
& mohamed salah is lookin like his old self now 
. Omar Marmoush's opening goal was so sweet and that pass by Salah set up the second one 
. If they can keep playing like this though, maybe we'll see Egypt back where they belong: competing with the best of Africa 