By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Mohamed Salah scored as he edged closer to a first Africa Cup of Nations medal by captaining Egypt to a 3-2 victory over defending champions Ivory Coast in a thrilling quarter-final on Saturday.
Omar Marmoush and Ramy Rabia scored for Egypt, then Ahmed Aboul-Fetouh conceded an own goal before half-time. Salah doubled the lead soon after the break and Guela Doue pulled one back.
Egypt got off to an absolute flyer, claiming the lead in just the fourth minute. Marmoush used his speed and aggression to beat Odilon Kossounou to Emam Ashour’s through ball, before striking a low shot beyond goalkeeper Yahia Fofana to make it 1-0.
Salah’s corner kick found the head of Rabia, whose looping header arched beyond the reach of Fofana before dropping into the back to consolidate the lead to 2-0.
Ivory Coast needed a response before the interval and they forced a goal in the 40th minute, with Ousmane Diomande’s in-swinging free kick delivery flicked on by Kossounou before being bundled into his own net by the unfortunate Fatouh.
However, the North African giants restored a two-goal advantage just seven minutes into the second stanza, with Salah stabbing home at close range for 3-1 after a brilliant outside-of-the-foot assist from the left flank by Ashour.
Ivory Coast pulled another goal back in the 73rd minute, with substitute Jean-Philippe Krasso’s header from a corner kick causing mayhem in the Egypt goalmouth, before Guela Doue poked home from close range to make it 3-2.
With this result, Hossam Hassan’s men eliminate the reigning champions to face Senegal and move one step closer to a record eighth continental title. Earlier on Saturday, Nigeria overpowered Algeria 2-0 in Marrakech and will take on hosts Morocco in the other semi-final.