Mohamed Salah scored as Egypt secured a 3-2 victory against defending champions Ivory Coast on Saturday, advancing to the 2025 CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) semifinals. The Liverpool forward's goal, his fourth of the tournament and Egypt's third, came in the 52nd minute and proved crucial as Ivory Coast twice threatened to equalize. The match took place in Agadir, Morocco.

Despite intense pressure from Ivory Coast, Egypt maintained their lead to secure a semifinal match against Senegal in Tangier on Wednesday. The victory marks a significant achievement for Egypt, who are seeking to reclaim the AFCON title.

Salah's performance underscores his importance to the Egyptian national team. His goal-scoring ability and leadership on the field have been instrumental in Egypt's success throughout the tournament. "It was a tough game, but we showed great character to hold on for the win," Salah said after the match, according to Reuters. "We know we have a difficult game against Senegal next, but we will be ready."

Ivory Coast's defeat marks the end of their reign as AFCON champions. The team struggled to find consistency throughout the tournament, and their quarterfinal loss highlights the challenges of defending a title in a highly competitive field.

The upcoming semifinal match between Egypt and Senegal is highly anticipated, as it pits two of Africa's top teams against each other. Senegal, the 2021 AFCON champions, will present a formidable challenge for Egypt. The winner of the match will advance to the AFCON final, with a chance to lift the coveted trophy. The tournament is being closely watched by football fans across the continent and around the world.