* A history clearly in favour of Egypt and the total record in AfCON in 11 matches is 7 wins for Egypt, 2 draws and 2 wins for Côte d’Ivoire
* On one side, the record holders of titles with 7 crowns — on the other, the reigning champions who are not ready to let go easily
Maravi Express
The history is clearly in favour of Egypt ahead of their quarterfinal match against Africa Cup of Nations (AfCON) Morocco 2025 against Côte d’Ivoire tonight (21h00 CAT) as over the past 10 years, the Elephants have only beaten the Pharaohs once in an official match.
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Their last confrontation dates back to 2021 in Cameroon — a 0-0 draw from which Egypt won 5-4 on penalties breaking the hopes of the Ivorians in the Round of 16. The record in AfCON in 11 matches is 7 wins for Egypt, 2 draws and 2 wins for Côte d’Ivoire.
On one side of the encounter is the record holders of titles with 7 crowns — on the other, the reigning champions who are not ready to let go easily.Between the Pharaohs and the Elephants, the AfCON history has often been written during these two teams’ confrontations.
If Côte d’Ivoire impress, the statistics historically lean towards the Nile. It will be the 12th time that these two giants meet in the final phase of the AfCON — an absolute record.
Egypt, after a labourious journey in the group phase, have regained their defensive position. Côte d’Ivoire’s coach Emerse Faé seems to have retained the magic of 2024, displaying an offensive power that has made all the opposing defenses give up since the start of the tournament in Morocco.
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The long-distance duel between Mohamed Salah, sparkling in the previous round, and the Ivorian central pivot will be the key to the match. The Pharaohs rely on their counter-attacks and tactical vice, while the Elephants rely on an ultra-physical midfield and the speed of their wings with Amad Diallo as their new leader.
The Manchester United midfielder has taken on a new dimension since the start of the competition with already 3 goals and does not intend to stop there.
Amad Diallo
Côte d’Ivoire defenders Christopher Operi and Willy Boly express confidence. Speaking to CAFOnline, Operi highlighted the focus and belief within the Ivorian camp as preparations intensify for tonight’s crunch encounter.
“We have prepared well,” Operi said. “Since the start of this AfCON, we’ve been very focused. We know that we have the capability to achieve great things this year. Our objective is to take it game by game, and against Egypt, the most important thing is to qualify.”
The defender underlined Côte d’Ivoire’s methodical approach, stressing that the team is fully committed to its preparation plan as it gears up for another major test: “We are always ready. We’ve already started studying Egypt specifically. The objective is to win the match and continue the adventure we’ve started.
Teammate Willy Boly echoed those sentiments, acknowledging the quality of the opposition while emphasising the reigning champions’ readiness to rise to the challenge.
“It’s true that we’re facing a good team, but at this stage of the competition, there are only big matches against top teams” he said. “What we want is to apply what we’ve worked on over the past few years and in recent training sessions.
Willy Boly
“The focus is on executing our tactics and preparation as effectively as possible,” said Boly — and with a place in the semi-finals at stake, he made it clear that qualification remains the sole objective for the defending champions.
“We have one objective, which is to win this AfCON for the second time in a row. It’s a very difficult challenge, and Egypt stand in our way. We want to qualify, no matter how.
“With the strength of our group and the work we’ve done, we hope it will pay off,” he said.—Reporting by Sport News Africa & CAFonline; edited by Maravi Express
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