Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan has commended his players following the qualification to the semifinals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament.
The record champions secured a 3-2 thrilling win against defending champions Ivory Coast on Saturday at the Adrar Stadium.
The Pharaohs struck early, with Manchester City’s Omar Marmoush opening the scoring in the fourth minute. Ramy Rabia then doubled the lead in the 32nd minute, heading home a corner delivered by Mohamed Salah.
Ivory Coast pulled one back before halftime when Yan Diomandé forced an own goal from Fatouh, reigniting hopes of a comeback.
After the break, both sides continued to press, but Salah restored Egypt’s two-goal lead before Guéla Doué added a late strike for the Elephants. Despite the effort, Egypt held on to secure the win.
“Since we arrived, I’ve always said that every match is like a final for us. That’s how we approach every game. Every match is different, and we adapt to each opponent,” Hassan said after the game.
“I’m very happy about our qualification. The players gave everything, and I’m proud of them.
Our preparation made the difference. We knew they were the reigning champions. We respected them and put a game plan in place, which worked today. It’s true we also made mistakes in the match that cost us two goals, but we scored three. However, we will correct these shortcomings for the next matches,” he added.
Egypt will face Senegal on Wednesday, January 14, at the Tangier Grand Stadium in the semifinals for a place in the final with kick-off scheduled at 17:00 GMT.
