The round-of-16 clash was tightly contested, with both sides struggling to break the deadlock in a goalless first half marked by cautious play and strong defensive organisation. Egypt eventually found a breakthrough after the restart when Marwan Attia fired in a fine effort to give the Pharaohs the lead.
Benin, however, refused to fold. The West Africans pushed forward late in the game and were rewarded when Jodel Dossou struck an equaliser to force the match into extra time, raising hopes of a major upset.
Egypt’s experience told in the additional period. Centre-back Yasser Ibrahim restored their advantage before captain Mohamed Salah sealed the victory with a second extra-time goal, ensuring a 3–1 win and Egypt’s progression to the last eight.
The victory marks Egypt’s 21st appearance in the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations, underlining their status as the most successful nation in the tournament’s history. They will face either hosts Ivory Coast or Burkina Faso in the next round.
Morocco, Mali, Cameroon, and Senegal have also secured their places in the quarter-finals as the competition moves into its decisive stages.