AFCON 2025: Egypt eye quarter-finals as Benin seek historic upset
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Reading Time: 3min | Mon. 05.01.26. | 09:50
Monday’s showdown marks only the second competitive AFCON meeting between the two nations, with their previous encounter dating back to 2010.
The race for a quarter-final berth continues on Monday, 5 January, as the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) knockout stage nears its conclusion with two tantalising clashes involving Egypt, Benin, Mozambique and Nigeria.
All eyes will be on Adrar Stadium in Agadir, where Egypt face Benin in a 7pm kick-off.
Monday’s showdown marks only the second competitive AFCON meeting between the two nations, with their previous encounter dating back to 2010.
On that occasion, Egypt dispatched Benin 2–0 en route to claiming their record seventh AFCON title in Angola.
For Egypt, this will be their 21st appearance in the knockout stage of the continental showpiece. The Pharaohs have clinched a record seven titles during that period, with their most recent Round of 16 appearance coming just two years ago at the 2023 edition.
Benin, meanwhile, return to the knockout stage for only the second time and will be aiming to surpass their quarter-final achievement from 2019 after a six-year absence from this stage.
Although this is only their second AFCON encounter, Monday’s clash represents the fifth overall meeting between the two sides.
Egypt hold a commanding record from their previous four meetings outside AFCON, securing three wins (4–1, 5–1 and 2–0) and a draw in a six-goal thriller during the 2024 World Cup qualifiers.
Speaking ahead of the match, Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan emphasised focus and respect for their opponents.
“We are at a very important moment for Egypt and our ambitions in the Africa Cup of Nations. Our goal is to reach the quarter-finals, and we have full respect for the Benin national team.”
Hassan lauded Benin’s progress to the knockout stage as well deserved.
“Benin did not reach the Round of 16 by chance. We know they are progressing strongly in the World Cup qualifiers. However, we also have our own ambitions. Egypt is a seven-time African champion, a country of 120 million people, and all our players are determined to make the Egyptian people happy.”
He added: “We treat every match as a final. Right now, our full focus is on the Benin game. We have studied their strengths and weaknesses and, God willing, we will deliver a strong performance and qualify for the quarter-finals. Anyone who wants to win the tournament must respect all opponents. For me, this game is the AFCON final, and all the players understand that,” Hossam stressed.
Benin head coach Gernot Rohr acknowledged the challenge ahead but stressed belief in his squad’s potential to cause an upset.
“We expect an extremely difficult match against a very high-level opponent. We have gained some experience against big teams, and I hope it will benefit us. We are not the favourites, but that does not prevent us from playing for our opportunity,” he noted.
Rohr also pointed to injury concerns and a suspension but said motivation remains high.
“This is the kind of match players want to play. If we beat Egypt, the players would deserve a reward. We have a mix of experience and youth in the squad. Now we want to achieve in Morocco what we achieved in Egypt in 2019. Knockout matches are completely different from group-stage encounters. All expectations are in Egypt’s favour, and we want to prove those expectations wrong,” he concluded.
Egypt topped Group B with seven points, recording victories over Zimbabwe (2–1) and South Africa (1–0), alongside a goalless draw against Angola.
Benin advanced as one of the four best third-placed teams, claiming a solitary win against Botswana (1–0) while suffering defeats to Senegal (3–0) and DR Congo (1–0).
Monday’s do-or-die encounter pits Egypt’s quest for a fifth successive victory over Benin against the Cheetahs’ bid to break their AFCON jinx.
With both sides aiming to join Senegal, Morocco, Cameroon and Mali in the quarter-finals, fans are in for a high-stakes showdown that promises end-to-end action and a place in AFCON history.
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