FOOTBALL – YASSER Ibrahim’s superb header and Mohamed Salah’s breakaway strike earned record seven-time champions Egypt a hard-fought 3-1 extra-time victory over Benin in the Africa Cup of Nations round of 16 yesterday.
Later, Victor Osimhen struck twice as Nigeria cruised into the quarter-finals with a comprehensive 4-0 victory, with Ademola Lookman turning in a virtuoso performance.
Egypt led after 69 minutes through a superb 30-yard strike from Marwan Attia, but Benin forced the game into an additional 30 minutes when they equalised late on through Jodel Dossou.
Defender Ibrahim scored his first international goal on 97 minutes when he met Attia’s cross with a header from 15 yards that looped into the top corner of the net, and Salah raced clear to add the third with the last kick of the game.
Egypt will face defending champions Ivory Coast or Burkina Faso in the quarter-finals in Agadir on Saturday.
Benin’s energy and never-say-die spirit were a match for Egypt’s more composed artistry, and although they had to weather waves of Egyptian attacks, the underdogs put in a performance that almost delivered an upset win.
Omar Marmoush was put through one-on-one with Benin goalkeeper Marcel Dandjinou but delayed his shot too long and the gloveman was able to make the save at his feet.
Egypt went closer when Marmoush poked the loose ball goalwards but defender Yohan Roche cleared the ball off the line.
Rami Rabia should have given Egypt the lead 10 minutes into the second half. His shot from five yards deflected off Dandjinou, onto Benin defender Tamimou Ouorou and behind for a corner.
Egypt finally broke the deadlock when the ball came to Attia outside the box and he curled his shot into the top corner.
Benin equalised with eight minutes remaining in normal time though and there was a touch of good fortune about it.
Junior Olaitan’s cross from the right took a wicked deflection off Ahmed Fatouh and although Egypt goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy made a superb save, Dossou bundled the ball over the line from close range.
After Ibrahim had restored Egypt’s advantage, Salah raced clear in the 124th minute and produced a typically composed finish as he beat the back-pedalling keeper from 25 metres.
Nigeria’s dominance was near total as Lookman scored the opening goal and produced three assists to drive his side into the quarter-finals, where they will meet Algeria or the Democratic Republic of Congo. Akor Adams netted the other goal.
The scoreline was the biggest margin of victory at the tournament in Morocco and could easily have been doubled had Nigeria not spurned easy chances.
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