Egypt face Benin in AFCON as Pharaohs eye Quarter-Final spot

The Pharaohs cruised into the last 16 after finishing top of Group B, collecting seven points from wins over Zimbabwe and South Africa before settling for a goalless draw against Angola in a rotated lineup once qualification was secured.

Under the leadership of head coach Hossam Hassan, Egypt are determined to stay on course for an eighth continental crown — their first since the historic 2010 triumph in Angola.

Benin, meanwhile, advanced to the knockout stage as one of the best third-placed teams despite a tough group campaign. Their qualification came courtesy of a narrow 1–0 victory over Botswana, offset by defeats against DR Congo and defending contenders Senegal in Group D.

The two sides have crossed paths only once before at AFCON finals, back in the 2010 group stage, when Egypt emerged 2–0 winners thanks to goals from Hosny Abd Rabou and Emad Meteb — a tournament that ended with the Pharaohs lifting the trophy for the third straight time under iconic coach Hassan Shehata.