Category: Football Africa

Mohamed Salah nets extra-time goal to help Egypt beat Benin
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Mohamed Salah nets extra-time goal to help Egypt beat Benin

Egypt's football team reached the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations by defeating Benin 3-1 after extra time with goals from .Marwan Attia Fahim Ghallab, Yasser Ibrahim Ahmed El Hanafi and Mohamed Salah, respectively.

The match took place in Agadir, Morocco. Marwan Atteya and Yasser Ibrahim scored their first international goals, while Mohamed Salah added his 10th goal in the tournament.

Atteya scored the first goal in the 69th minute. Benin’s Jodel Dossou equalised in the 83rd minute, forcing the game into extra time. In the extra period, Atteya assisted Ibrahim’s header in the 97th minute, putting Egypt back in the lead. Salah sealed the victory with a goal in the second half of extra time.

Unlike their previous match against Angola, where they fielded a less experienced team, Egypt started with their top players. Winger Ibrahim Adel replaced Ahmed “Zizo” Sayed in the lineup.

Egypt showed their attacking strength early on. Salah set up Omar Marmoush, but Marmoush’s shot was saved by Benin’s goalkeeper, Marcel Dandjinou, in the seventh minute. Marmoush had another chance in the 20th minute, but a defender cleared it.

Benin also created chances, but Egypt’s defence and goalkeeper kept them at bay. Both teams made substitutions in the first half. Benin’s Aiyegun Tosin left due to a muscle injury, while Egypt’s Mohamed Hamdy was stretchered off with a knee injury just before halftime, and Ahmed Fatouh came on for him.

Egypt missed a good chance early in the second half when Rami Rabia’s close-range shot went wide after deflections. Just before the 60-minute mark, Egypt made two changes: Emam Ashour replaced Ibrahim Adel, and Ahmed “Zizo” Sayed came on for the injured Mahmoud “Trezeguet” Hassan. Mohamed El-Shennawy kept the score level by saving a close shot from Dossou.

Atteya finally scored in the 69th minute after a one-two with Salah and Mohamed Hany, marking his first goal in 29 international matches. Benin responded by pushing for an equaliser and got one when Dossou followed up a deflected shot from Fatouh in the 83rd minute.

Salah had a chance to win the game in regular time, but his shot was saved. Seven minutes of added time passed without a winner. In extra time, Ibrahim’s header in the first minutes put Egypt back in front, his first goal in 12 matches. Benin tried to equalise again but couldn’t break through Egypt’s solid defence. Salah finished off the game with a lob goal in the final minutes after being assisted by Zizo.

Egypt will face either the Ivory Coast or Burkina Faso in the quarter-finals on Friday.

Tunisia axe Sami Trabelsi after Cup of Nations exit
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Tunisia have axed Sami Trabelsi after their Cup of Nations exit

Tunisia's coach, Sami Trabelsi, has been dismissed just a day after the team suffered a defeat against Mali in the last 16 of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon).

Despite facing only 10 men for over 90 minutes in a match that extended into extra time, the 2004 champions were unable to secure a victory.

Early in the game, Mali’s Woyo Coulibaly received a red card, giving Tunisia an advantage, but they went ahead late, taking the lead in the 88th minute.

Unfortunately, they conceded a penalty in the sixth minute of stoppage time and ultimately faltered during the ensuing shootout.

The Tunisian Football Federation announced on social media that they had “decided to part ways by mutual consent” with the national team’s coaching staff.

Trabelsi, 57, had returned for a second spell in charge of the Carthage Eagles last February after resigning in 2013, following a disappointing early exit from Afcon. In the recent tournament in Morocco, Tunisia finished second in Group C, starting with a 3-1 victory over Uganda, but later lost 3-2 to Nigeria and drew 1-1 with Tanzania.

Reflecting on their exit against Mali, Trabelsi expressed that it brought “great disappointment and pain,” acknowledging that as coach, he definitely bore the responsibility for the team’s performance.

Cameroon saw off South Africa to set date with Morocco in quarter-finals
by Football Sierra Leone

Cameroon saw off South Africa to set date with Morocco in quarter-finals

Cameroon faced South Africa in a tense match but managed to secure a 2–1 victory in Rabat. This win means Cameroon moves on to the quarter-finals of the tournament to face host Morocco on Friday.

For the first 30 minutes, South Africa was the stronger team. They pressed hard, created chances, and forced Cameroon’s goalkeeper, Epassy, to make important saves. However, Cameroon stayed composed. In the 33rd minute, Tchamadeu scored the first goal, changing the game.

Feeling energised, Cameroon took charge of the match. Just after halftime, Kofane scored again in the 47th minute with a diving header. This put Cameroon up 2–0, a tough blow for South Africa.

Despite the score, South Africa kept pushing. Makgopa scored in the 87th minute, bringing hope to his team. The crowd in Rabat held their breath as Epassy faced more shots, but he held firm, and Cameroon clung to their lead until the final whistle.

With this win, Cameroon goes on to play Morocco in the quarter-finals on Friday at the Stade Moulay Abdellah in Rabat.

Carlos Baleba – Man of the Match, “We are set to face Morocco, a strong team. We’ve been performing well, and we need to stay calm and keep this up. Our positive mindset is key to our strength.”

Hugo Broos – South Africa Head Coach, “Our team didn’t deserve to lose. This isn’t the result we wanted, but we have to accept it and focus on our future goals, especially the World Cup.”

David Pagou – Cameroon Coach, “We are excited about the win. We’ve faced a tough schedule, but we’ve succeeded. We’re committed to improving and working together, which is essential for our team’s progress.”

Brahim Diaz helps Morocco reach AFCON 2025 quarter-finals
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Brahim Diaz helps Morocco reach AFCON 2025 quarter-finals

Morocco reached the quarter-finals of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2025 by defeating Tanzania 1–0 in Rabat on Sunday. Brahim Diaz scored the only goal in the second half.

The match was challenging for the hosts, who controlled the game but struggled to create clear scoring chances against a strong Tanzanian defence.

Morocco, captained by Achraf Hakimi, started strong but struggled to score against a well-defending Tanzania. A goal from Ismail Saibari in the 24th minute was ruled offside by VAR, leaving the first half goalless.

After halftime, Morocco increased their urgency, with key moments like Diaz forcing a corner and El Khannouss shooting over the bar. Tanzania almost took the lead in the 56th minute with a missed opportunity from Feisal Toto.

Morocco finally broke the deadlock in the 63rd minute when Diaz scored from a tight angle, marking his fourth goal of the tournament and leading Morocco to a 1-0 victory. They advance to the quarter-finals, where they’ll face the winner of South Africa vs. Cameroon.

Diaz, named Man of the Match, acknowledged the challenge, while Tanzania’s coach, Miguel Ángel Gamondi, expressed pride in his team’s performance.

Morocco’s head coach, Walid Regragui, praised the second-half effort and noted the injury to key player Azzedine Ounahi, emphasizing the team’s determination to succeed.

10-man Mali knock-out Tunisia in penalty shootout
by FSL News

10-man Mali advance after penalty shootout win over Tunisia

Mali defeated Tunisia in a penalty shootout 3-2 after a 1-1 draw in their Round of 16 match at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, despite being reduced to ten men within the first thirty minutes.

The thrilling clash took place on Saturday at the Stade Mohammed V in Casablanca, Morocco, with El Bilal Touré stepping up to convert the decisive penalty, securing a hard-fought victory for Les Aigles.

Both sides approached the match with caution, resulting in limited scoring opportunities. Early on, Mali’s chances took a hit when right back Woyo Coulibaly was shown a red card for a late challenge on Hannibal Mejbri, leaving his team in a precarious position.

Tunisia struggled to find their rhythm against a determined Malian side, lacking the attacking flair to capitalise on its opportunities. Despite their physical play, Tunisia missed several set pieces, while Mali threatened on the counter-attack.

In the 89th minute, Tunisia found inspiration when Elias Saad crossed to substitute Firas Chaouat, who scored with a flicked header, seemingly securing a quarterfinal spot. However, a late penalty for Mali, converted by Sinayoko, levelled the score and sent the match into extra time.

The deadlock continued through extra time, leading to a penalty shootout. Tunisia initially took the lead, but missed penalties from Bissouma and Abdi proved costly. Diarra’s save against Ben Romdhane opened the door for Touré, who scored the winning penalty for Mali.

Mali advances to face Senegal in the quarterfinals on January 9 in Tangier, following Senegal’s earlier win over Sudan.