The China Mail - Salah seals AFCON last-16 victory for Egypt over brave Benin

Marwan Attia put the Pharaohs ahead in the second half and Jodel Dossou equalised for the Cheetahs, taking the match to an additional 30 minutes in the southern Moroccan coastal city.

Yasser Ibrahim headed Egypt back in front in the first half of extra time, then Salah broke clear and beat goalkeeper Marcel Dandjinou with a shot from outside the area for his 10th AFCON goal.

Salah, whose goals have helped Liverpool win many trophies, is seeking a first AFCON winners'medal, having twice been a runner-up.

Record seven-time champions Egypt stay in Agadir to face title-holders Ivory Coast or Burkina Faso on Saturday in the quarter-finals.

Egypt changed 10 of the team that drew with Angola in their final group match seven days ago with only midfielder Ibrahim Adel retained.

Many AFCON teams assured of qualification for the knockout stage with a match to spare followed the example of Egypt and fielded sides composed largely of reserves.

Benin lacked captain and former Premier League striker Steve Mounie, who had not recovered from an undisclosed illness.

Egypt had a great chance to go in front after only eight minutes through Omar Marmoush, the 26-year-old who joined Manchester City at the beginning of last year from Eintracht Frankfurt.

He darted forward from the Egyptian half, gained possession and stayed ahead of two pursuing defenders only to be foiled by Dandjinou, who blocked the ball with his legs, then grasped it.

When Egypt threatened again soon after, centre-back Yohan Roche rescued Benin, clearing the ball as it was trickling toward the net.

- Collision -

A collision between Mohamed Hamdy and Rodolfo Aloko led to a long delay, which ended with the Egyptian being carried off the field. Ahmed Aboul-Fetouh took his place in midfield.

While Egypt had more possession in the opening half, Benin held their own and it took a superb sliding tackle from Hamdy Fathy to halt a Benin counterattack.

An incident deep in added time illustrated how wary Benin were of Salah. When the captain gained possession just outside the box, he was immediately surrounded by three opponents.

Dandjinou rescued Benin 10 minutes into the second half when he bravely parried a close-range shot from Ramy Rabia after the ball ran loose to the defender following a corner.

As the match passed the hour mark, it began to open up. A Salah attempt to chip the ball into the net was foiled by leaping Dandjinou.

Then, a parry from 37-year-old Egypt goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy prevented substitute Dossou giving Benin a shock lead.

Attia ended the goalless stalemate when Marmoush pushed the ball back to the midfielder and, from just outside the box, he side-footed it into the roof of the net.

Benin refused to accept defeat, though, attacked constantly and levelled on 83 minutes through 33-year-old Dossou.

El Shenawy did superbly to palm a Mohamed Tijani cross away from his goal, but the ball fell invitingly for Dossou, and he pushed it into the net.

Egypt regained the lead seven minutes into extra time, and this time Attia was the creator. He crossed after a short corner and a looping Ibrahim header evaded Dandjinou and landed in the net.

Salah then put the outcome beyond doubt with his third goal of the tournament.

P.Deng--ThChM