Egypt 3-2 Côte d'Ivoire Player Ratings: Pharaohs Win Five-Goal Thriller & reach AFCON last four

This Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final was a story of sharp finishing against ball control, and Egypt came out on top. Côte d’Ivoire saw more of the ball, but Egypt were far more effective when it mattered.

Egypt football team started the game at full speed. Omar Marmoush scored early, giving the Pharaohs a quick lead and putting Côte d’Ivoire under pressure straight away. Egypt stayed dangerous and doubled their advantage when Ramy Rabia headed in from a set-piece, making the most of another key moment despite having less possession. Although Côte d’Ivoire pulled one back through an own goal.

After the break, Egypt struck again. One of the best right-wingers, Mohamed Salah, made it 3-1, and it looked like the match was already decided. Côte d’Ivoire had most of the possession and more attacking phases, but Egypt National football team were much more direct and clinical in front of goal.

To their credit, Côte d’Ivoire fought back. Guela Doué pulled one goal back, making it 3-2, and they continued to push forward, creating a tense finish. Egypt were forced to defend deep, but they stayed calm and managed the final minutes well.

In the end, Egypt’s ability to take their chances proved decisive, as they secured a 3-2 win and booked their place in the AFCON semi-finals.

Let’s take a closer look at the Egypt vs Côte d’Ivoire Player Ratings.

Key Takeaways

• Côte d’Ivoire were ruthless in front of goal, making the most of limited chances to seal a 3-2 win.

• Côte d’Ivoire dominated possession, but wasteful finishing cost them in a high-tempo clash.

• Early goals set the tone, with Egypt’s composure proving decisive despite late pressure.

Egypt Player Ratings vs Côte d'Ivoire

Here's a look at the Egypt Player Ratings.

Goalkeeper

Mohamed El Shenawy - 6.5: He conceded two goals but couldn't do much about either. Made a couple of important saves inside the box and looked confident claiming high balls. A solid, if unspectacular, performance between the sticks.

Defenders

Hossam Abdelmaguid - 6.0: A bit of a mixed performance. He was strong in the air, winning a couple of duels, but also picked up a silly yellow card for a bad foul. Part of a defence that looked shaky towards the end, which brings his rating down.

Ramy Rabia - 8.0: What a game from the centre-back. He scored a fantastic header to put his team 2-0 up. Defensively, he was a giant, making a massive 7 clearances and winning most of his duels. He was composed on the ball too, a real leader's performance.

Yasser Ibrahim - 6.5: A very busy night for him. He won an impressive 7 of his 11 duels and made 5 clearances, which was crucial. However, we noticed he was dribbled past twice, which is a slight concern against pacy attackers. Overall, a decent outing.

Midfielders

Mohamed Hany - 6.0: An industrious but ultimately quiet game. He had few touches and seemed to be bypassed in midfield at times. He worked hard and won a decent number of his duels but we expected a bit more influence from him on the ball.

Ahmed Fatouh - 5.5: From our perspective, he really struggled to get into the game. He lost possession 11 times from just 39 touches and looked off the pace. A night he will want to forget quickly as he just couldn't impact the proceedings.

Hamdy Fathy - 7.0: The engine room of the midfield. He was brilliant at breaking up play, winning 3 tackles and recovering the ball 4 times. He was tidy in possession and kept things simple, allowing the more creative players to flourish. A very effective performance.

Marwan Ateya - 5.5: He had a tough time in the middle of the park. What stood out to us was how he was dribbled past three times, struggling to cope with the opposition's movement. He just couldn't impose himself on the match at all.

Forwards

Emam Ashour - 9.0: Absolutely sensational. This was his game. He provided two magnificent assists, setting up two of Egypt's three goals, and created two big chances. He ran the show with his vision and creativity until he was substituted. A clear man of the match, a masterclass.

Mohamed Salah - 8.5: The captain delivered yet again. He scored a crucial goal and also provided an assist, showing his class. Yes, he lost the ball a few times but his end product was decisive and he was a constant threat. He led by example.

Omar Marmoush - 8.0: Scored the vital early goal that set Egypt on their way. He was a complete handful for the defence all night, winning an incredible 11 duels and drawing 4 fouls. His relentless energy and drive were infectious.

Manager

H. Hussein - 7.5: His game plan worked perfectly in the first hour. His team came out with intensity, scored early, and built a commanding 3-0 lead. The late wobble where they conceded two goals is a concern he'll need to address, but securing a win in a knockout tie is all that matters. Job done.

Côte d'Ivoire Player Ratings vs Egypt

Let's take a deeper look at the Côte d'Ivoire Player Ratings.

Goalkeeper

Yahia Fofana - 5.0: A difficult night for the keeper. He conceded three goals and only managed to make a single save. From our perspective, he might feel he could have done better for one or two of them. Not a performance he'll look back on fondly.

Defenders

Ghislain Konan - 6.0: He saw a lot of the ball and was neat in possession but offered very little defensively. He won just one of his four duels. For a defender in a team that conceded three, that's simply not good enough. Needed to be more aggressive.

Odilon Kossounou - 5.5: His passing was perfect, but you need more than that from a centre-back. He struggled badly in the physical battles, winning only one of his five duels. He looked uncomfortable against Egypt's sharp attack.

Evan Ndicka - 6.0: Like his defensive partners, he was very tidy on the ball. But his defensive contribution was minimal. He only won two duels all game which is a poor return. He needed to be more dominant and impose himself.

Guela Doué - 7.0: A real mixed bag of a performance. He scored the goal that sparked his team's attempted comeback and was always involved. However, his final product was frustratingly poor, with only one of his eight crosses finding a teammate. Scored a goal but could have done more.

Midfielders

Franck Kessié - 4.0: A disastrous performance from the captain. He made a glaring error that led directly to a goal, which is unforgivable at this level. He was anonymous for large parts of the game and it was no surprise when he was substituted. A night to forget.

Ibrahim Sangaré - 6.5: He worked tirelessly in midfield, making 5 tackles and recovering the ball 8 times. His effort can't be faulted. However, he missed a big chance to score which could have changed the complexion of the game entirely.

Christ Inao Oulaï - 7.0: One of the few bright sparks for his team. He was powerful in midfield, winning an impressive 10 out of 14 duels. He constantly tried to drive his team forward and showed real fight. A very promising display in a losing effort.

Forwards

Amad Diallo - 6.5: He looked lively and tried to make things happen with his dribbling. He created one chance and looked dangerous at times. But what stood out was how often he lost the ball, giving it away 17 times which stalled his team's attacks.

Evann Guessand - 6.5: He was a physical presence up front, winning his fair share of aerial duels. He managed to get one shot on target but didn't consistently threaten the goal. He worked hard but needed more quality in the final third.

Yan Diomande - 6.0: A truly frustrating player to watch. He created an impressive four chances, showing his creative potential. On the other hand, he lost 11 of his 15 duels and lost possession 18 times. The quality was there, but the execution was not.

Manager

E. Fae - 6.0: His team's start was simply abysmal. To be 3-0 down in a quarter-final points to a flawed game plan. We have to give him credit for the changes he made and the incredible spirit his team showed to fight back to 3-2. But the damage was already done.

Man of the Match

Sportsdunia's Player of the Match goes to Emam Ashour.

Worst Performer

Franck Kessié of Côte d'Ivoire had the worst performance in Egypt vs Côte d'Ivoire Player Ratings.