Mohamed Salah once again stood at the heart of an Egyptian night to remember, as the Pharaohs knocked out defending champions Côte d’Ivoire in a pulsating encounter to book their place in the next round of the Africa Cup of Nations.
Named Man of the Match, Mohammed Salah spoke with pride rather than personal triumph, reflecting the collective spirit that carried Egypt through a demanding contest.
“I’m very happy and proud to play with these guys,” the captain said. “Our goal is always to bring joy to the Egyptian people. With this mentality, we believe we can win every match.”
Egypt knew they were in for a stern test against the reigning champions, and the match unfolded exactly as expected, intense, physical, and full of momentum swings.
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“It was a very difficult match,” Mohammed Salah admitted. “They won the AFCON last time at home, and they played like champions again today. But we gave everything, and that’s why I’m happy we qualified.”
True to his leadership role, Mohammed Salah emphasised responsibility over recognition, pointing to experience and attitude as Egypt’s driving forces.
“I always try to give everything for the team and use my experience to help us achieve great things,” he said. “I tell my teammates that once you step on the pitch, you must give everything. That way, there are no regrets.”
While Egypt celebrated progression, the mood was markedly different in the Ivorian camp. Head coach Émerse Faé cut a frustrated figure, pointing to costly lapses that ultimately decided the contest.
“We are disappointed with the result,” Faé said. “We prepared well for this Egyptian team, but we made too many mistakes at key moments. That makes it very hard to eliminate a side like Egypt.”
Faé lamented a slow start and defensive errors, particularly conceding twice early on.
“What hurts the most are those mistakes,” he added. “We came back to 2–1 before half-time, but the third goal really put us in trouble. These lapses in concentration are difficult to explain.”
Back on the Egyptian bench, head coach Hossam Hassan hailed his players’ discipline and mentality, describing the victory as the result of careful preparation and respect for the opposition.
“From the moment we arrived, I said every match is a final for us,” Hassan explained. “That’s how we approach this tournament. Every opponent is different, and we adapt each time.”
The former striker was full of praise for his squad’s commitment.
“I’m very happy with the qualification and very proud of the players. They gave everything on the pitch,” he said. “We knew we were facing the champions, we respected them, and we followed our game plan, and it worked.”
Despite conceding twice, Hassan remained focused on improvement rather than perfection.
“Yes, we made mistakes that cost us goals, but we scored three,” he said. “We will correct these shortcomings as we move forward.”
For Egypt, this victory was more than just qualification. It was a statement built on leadership, belief, and a refusal to be intimidated, as the Pharaohs continue their pursuit of continental glory.
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