The atmosphere of great evenings hangs over Agadir. This Monday at 16:00 GMT, the Grand Stade Adrar will be the scene of a duel the antipodes on paper, but with the scent of a trap for Egypt. Serene leaders of a group B that they flew over, Hossam Hassan’s men approach this eighth final of the 2025 AFCON with a status of favorite that they will have to assume to avoid another early disillusionment after the road trips of 2019 and 2023 at the same stage of the competition.
Egypt in boss mode, Salah in locomotive mode
The journey of the Pharaohs in this group phase was marked by the seal of efficiency. With seven points to their name (wins 2-1 against Zimbabwe and 1-0 against South Africa, followed by a 0-0 draw against Angola), Egypt has regained a solid defensive base, symbolized by the performances of its veteran goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy.
For this shock, Hossam Hassan should find his offensive trident of fire. Spared during the last pool match, Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush will make their return in the starting eleven.
“For me, this match against Benin is a final. Their qualification is not by chance, they showed great stability. We represent a nation of 120 million enthusiasts; the players have the determination to make the people happy and we don’t underestimate anyone.”
— Hossam Hassan, coach of Egypt.
Benin, the science of resistance
On the other side, Benin arrives with the skin of a miracle, but an organized one. Qualified among the best third in group D thanks to a crucial victory against Botswana (1-0), the Guépards know that they have nothing to lose. The coach Gernot Rohr, a fine tactician of African football, will rely on his compact block to shake up the hierarchy.
History, however, argues in favor of Egypt: in four confrontations, the Pharaohs have never bowed down against Benin (3 wins, 1 draw). But the memories of Cairo in 2019, where Benin had eliminated Morocco at the same stage, remain engraved as a warning. Gernot Rohr also plans to play on this psychological lever:
“We want to prove the predictions wrong. We are not the favorites, but that doesn’t stop us from playing our luck thoroughly. This is the kind of match that all players dream to play in. If we beat Egypt, the players will deserve an outstanding reward.”
Gernot Rohr, coach of Benin.
The keys of the match: discipline vs individual genius
The tactical duel will be at the center of the debates. The ability of the Egyptian midfielder, led by Marwan Attia, to break the Beninese lines will be decisive. On the Beninese side, the possible absences of Sessi D’Almeida and Steve Mounié might force Rohr to review his system. A delicate mission in the face of an Egyptian armada that seeks to end 15 years of continental famine.
A victory would propel Egypt into the quarter-finals for the 11th time in its history, where it could find the winner of the poster between Côte d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso.