Rabat – Egypt play Benin today at Stade Adrar in Agadir in the Round of 16 at AFCON 2025. The Pharaohs topped Group B with seven points after beating Zimbabwe and South Africa, then drawing with Angola.
Benin finished third in Group D with three points and qualified as one of the best third-placed teams.
Their only win came against Botswana, with Yohan Roche scoring. Egypt are chasing their eighth AFCON title, while Benin have never gone beyond the quarterfinals. The winner of this match will face Ivory Coast or Burkina Faso next.
🇪🇬 Egypt 🆚 Benin 🇧🇯
Back your team. Who’s going through? @1xBet_Eng pic.twitter.com/sOSOxGlzZ0
— TotalEnergies AFCON 2025 (@CAF_Online) January 5, 2026
Match Details:
- Fixture: Egypt vs Benin
- Competition: AFCON 2025 – Round of 16
- Venue: Stade Adrar, Agadir (Morocco)
- Date: Monday, January 5.
- Kick-off: 5 p.m. local time (GMT+1)
- How to Watch: Live on beIN Sports (beIN MAX 1 & 2), Egyptian TV: ONTime Sports
Egypt Team News
Egypt coach Hossam Hassan has put together a strong squad for AFCON 2025. Mohamed Salah from Liverpool and Omar Marmoush from Manchester City lead the attack.
Egypt finished first in Group B with seven points after beating Zimbabwe and South Africa, then drawing with Angola. However, Hassan warned his players not to be complacent despite the team’s history.
Other key names include Mahmoud “Trezeguet” Hassan from Al Ahly, Mostafa Mohamed from Nantes, and Ibrahim Adel from Al Ahly.
The team had a week of rest before this match, which helped Mostafa Mohamed and Adel recover from minor injuries. Young forward Ossama Faisal is doubtful, while midfielder Mohanad Lasheen is still out.
Apart from that, Hassan has almost a full squad available. Egypt scored only three goals in the group stage, one from a penalty, so improving their finishing is important. Salah and Marmoush will be expected to provide the goals.
Benin Team News
Benin, known as the Squirrels or Cheetahs, reached the Round of 16 by finishing third in Group D. Under coach Gernot Rohr, they collected three points with a 1-0 win over Botswana, while losing to DR Congo and Senegal.
They qualified as one of the best third-placed teams. This is only their second time in the AFCON knockout stage, with their best result being the quarterfinals in 2019 when they beat Morocco.
Striker Steve Mounié has returned from injury to lead the attack, while Olivier Verdon and Yohan Roche strengthen the defense. In midfield, Sessi D’Almeida, Matteo Ahlinvi, and Dodo Dokou provide balance.
Benin coach Gernot Rohr admits his team are underdogs against Egypt but says they have the right to dream. Benin are expected to play compact, fight for every ball, and look for chances on quick counters and set pieces.
What to Expect
Egypt are expected to control the game with possession and territory, using Trezeguet and Ramadan Sobhi in midfield to supply Salah on the left and Marmoush on the right.
They need early goals to ease pressure but must improve their finishing after scoring only three times in the group stage.
At the back, Egypt cannot afford mistakes against Benin. Rohr’s team will stay compact, block the middle, and look to frustrate Egypt.
Their only goal so far came from Roche’s header against Botswana, so set pieces remain important. On the counter, Mounie’s strength and quick runners give them a chance. Benin know they are underdogs but will fight hard, while Egypt’s quality should make the difference.
Safe Bets & Predictions
- Both Teams to Score – Likely
- Total Goals Over 2.5 – Likely: The teams averaged roughly 2–3 goals per game in the group stage, so a few goals are expected.
- Mohamed Salah to Score – Likely: Salah has scored two of Egypt’s three goals so far; he’s their main threat.
- Egypt to Win – Very Likely: Egypt are far higher ranked and have dominated their group, so a Pharaohs win is expected.
Predicted Score: Egypt 2-1 Benin
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