Egyptian superstar Mohamed Salah sealed his nation's spot in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) semifinals after a thrilling 3-2 victory over holders Ivory Coast. The Liverpool forward scored the third and decisive goal for Egypt in the 52nd minute, securing their place against Senegal on Wednesday.
Salah's fourth goal of the tournament proved to be the difference-maker as Egypt overcame relentless pressure from the Ivorian side. The Pharaohs had been two goals down at halftime after Ivory Coast equalized just before the break, but a spirited second-half performance saw them level the match at 2-2.
However, Egypt's defense held firm in the closing stages to secure their semifinal berth. Salah's goal sparked wild celebrations among Egyptian fans and marked a turning point in the match that had been hanging in the balance.
Ivory Coast, who were seeking to defend their title for the first time since 2015, will now face Senegal in Tangier on Wednesday after Nigeria edged out Algeria 2-0 in the other quarterfinal clash. The Super Eagles are bidding to lift the AFCON trophy for the first time since 2013 and would provide a welcome boost to African football.
Egypt's success is a significant achievement for the team, which has been built around Salah's brilliance over the past few years. They will now look to carry this momentum into the semifinals, where they face a tough test against Senegal.
Salah's fourth goal of the tournament proved to be the difference-maker as Egypt overcame relentless pressure from the Ivorian side. The Pharaohs had been two goals down at halftime after Ivory Coast equalized just before the break, but a spirited second-half performance saw them level the match at 2-2.
However, Egypt's defense held firm in the closing stages to secure their semifinal berth. Salah's goal sparked wild celebrations among Egyptian fans and marked a turning point in the match that had been hanging in the balance.
Ivory Coast, who were seeking to defend their title for the first time since 2015, will now face Senegal in Tangier on Wednesday after Nigeria edged out Algeria 2-0 in the other quarterfinal clash. The Super Eagles are bidding to lift the AFCON trophy for the first time since 2013 and would provide a welcome boost to African football.
Egypt's success is a significant achievement for the team, which has been built around Salah's brilliance over the past few years. They will now look to carry this momentum into the semifinals, where they face a tough test against Senegal.
! I mean, 3-2 for Egypt against Ivory Coast? that's drama right there 
and Mohamed Salah is just on fire 
scoring those goals and leading his team to victory 
. it's amazing how one goal can make all the difference like that 
. now Egypt gets a chance to take on Senegal in the semis, which could be another epic matchup 
. fingers crossed for them! 
! You gotta respect their grit and determination. It's all about perseverance and never giving up on your dreams. Salah is a real-life superhero for his country! 
What's even more inspiring is that this victory comes after a tough run of games, so Egypt's team has really earned their spot in the semis. Let's keep it going, guys! 
THE WAY HE SCORED THAT THIRD GOAL WAS SO COOL! I MEAN, THE IVORIAN SIDE WAS PUTTING UP A FIGHT BUT SALAH JUST TOOK OVER IN THE END. AND NOW EGYPT IS MOVING ON TO THE SEMIS WHICH IS TOTALLY DESERVABLE GIVEN THEIR TEAM'S EFFORTS!!! 
. The way his team fought back from 2-0 down to level the match at 2-2 was incredible 
.
. This is gonna be a battle for the ages! 
. Salah is an incredible player and he's definitely carried his team on his back a lot in this tournament. The question is now will Egypt be able to sustain that level of performance against Senegal? It's going to be tough, but I've got a feeling they might just pull it off 
. The fact that Ivory Coast was trying to defend their title and still lost is a testament to how good Egypt is right now. Salah's goal was pure magic! I'm sure all those Egyptian fans are over the moon rn 
Senegal better watch out, this team is on fire 
anyway Mohamed Salah is straight fire on the pitch tho, that goal was pure magic 
he's literally the reason Egypt made it to the semis. but seriously though, Senegal is gonna be tough opponents for them - those guys have been on a roll lately 
️ I don't know if Egypt has what it takes to take down Senegal, we'll just have to wait and see 
might be time for Salah to bring his A-game (again) 
. Anyway, Egypt's win is awesome and Salah is a total legend! 
. Also, who is the mod team here? Can't we get some decent live streams for once? The lag is insane! 