Egypt vs Benin: One Step from the Last eight, but can the Pharaohs Deliver?
by Thobelani Moyo | by Thobelani Moyo
The Pharaohs' renewed hunger sees them as title contenders
Egypt is the most successful North African participant in the Africa Cup of Nations, having lifted the trophy a record seven times. Behind the scenes, however, it has been one setback after another in their bid to clinch an eighth title in this tournament.
It has been 15 years since the Pharaohs achieved a historic feat, becoming the first team in this tournament to retain the title for the third time in a row. Since then, they've fallen short in subsequent editions.
There is growing evidence of renewed hunger in the current edition, with the team's commendable performance firmly placing them as one of the contenders to lift the trophy.
The Pharaohs found themselves competing in Group B, which comprised the likes of South Africa, Angola, and Zimbabwe. As predicted by our AFCON betting odds, they managed to top the group with a one-point cushion.
Hossam Hassan's charges asserted their dominance early on, snatching six points from their first two games against Zimbabwe (2-1) and South Africa (1-0).
Their final group stage game against Angola saw the spoils being shared after a goalless draw, denying them the opportunity to conclude the group stages with a 100% record for the first time since 2019. Admittedly, that result was deserved considering a majority of their key players were rested after a heavy rotation, which included 11 new faces.
Egypt AFCON facts:
- Egypt are participating in the Round of 16 for the fourth time.
- Egypt have been eliminated at this stage in two of their last three editions (2019, 2023).
- Egypt have recorded more wins (62) than any other team in this competition.
Is this the end of the road for Benin?
It's not a miracle that Benin managed to secure a third-place finish in Group D of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. The group included the likes of champions Senegal, DR Congo, and a lesser-ranked nation, Botswana, who finished at the bottom of the table. Finishing as the best third-placed team was enough to see them secure their spot in the knockout stages.
The Cheetahs suffered two losses against DR Congo and Senegal in the group stages. Nestled between those results was a routine 1-0 win against the group's whipping boys, Botswana, their only route to keeping their knockout qualification hopes alive. Additionally, that result ended a 15-match winless run in this competition.
Benin are no stranger when it comes to competing at this stage. Their first and last appearance was in 2019. Against all odds, the team knocked out Morocco 4-1 on penalties after extra time and progressed to the quarter-finals.
Is another Round of 16 upset on the cards when they face off against the most decorated nation, Egypt? Check out our Egypt vs Benin prediction for more insights on the match.
Gernot Rohr's men, however, have struggled in this fixture in recent years. Overall, they've lost three of their last four matches and have yet to win a game (D1). It's worth noting that they've met once at AFCON back in 2010. The outcome was far from inspiring, suffering a 2-0 defeat in the group stages.
Benin AFCON facts:
- Benin are winless in their last three AFCON matches against North African opposition.
- Benin have failed to score in three of their last four AFCON matches.
- Benin are making their second appearance in the knockout stages.
