Egypt coach Hossam Hassan said his team are ready to face any opponent in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2025) after beating Benin 3-1 in Round of 16 on Monday.
The Pharaohs will play the winner between defending champions Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso on Saturday.
“We will start preparations for the quarter-finals and we are ready to face any opponent,” Hassan told BeIN Sports after the match.
Marwan Attia opened the scoring in the 69th minute, only for substitute Jodel Dossou to equalise for Benin in the 83rd, sending the match into extra time.
In the 97th minute, Attia delivered a precise cross that defender Yasser Ibrahim headed home to restore Egypt’s lead, before Mohamed Salah added a late goal in the second half of extra time to seal the win.
“There are no easy teams in Africa. Playing in Europe has improved the African players, making every game challenging. In football, you can’t rely on history - only performance matters,” Hassan said.
Hassan also praised his squad for their ambition and persistence.
Egypt remain unbeaten in the tournament and have already done better than in 2023 when they lost to DR Congo in Round of 16.
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