Ibrahim's late show: Egypt edge Benin to reach AFCON quarterfinals
5 January 2026
Match context and Ibrahim’s impact
In a dramatic round-of-16 at the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, Yasser Ibrahim, the Egypt defender, expressed immense happiness after the 3-1 win over Benin.
Ibrahim scored the opening goal for Egypt in the 97th minute as the regular time ended 1-1. The defender's standout performance earned him Man of the Match.
Post-match quotes and outlook
Ibrahim spoke to reporters after the match: "Delighted to qualify and proud to win Man of the Match." He added that the award reflects the whole team's effort, with everyone giving their energy in the game.
He continued: "We knew Benin's strength; we kept pushing to secure a win and qualification to the quarterfinals."
Asked about the next opponent, Ibrahim said: "We are ready to face any opponent; the knockout rounds are always tough." Egypt will meet the winner of Ivory Coast vs Burkina Faso in the quarterfinal on Saturday.
Punchlines: "If patience had an off switch, Ibrahim just turned it on at 97 minutes." "A sniper would envy that finish—calm, precise, and on target."
