"Hossam Hassan's side arrive as strong favourites after recording consecutive clean sheets in the group stage, while Benin are appearing in the knockout phase for just the second time in their AFCON history. The Pharaohs edged past Bafana Bafana 1-0 despite being reduced to 10 men and then played out a goalless draw with the Palancas Negras in their final group match."
"However, the underlying numbers suggest a more nuanced picture. Egypt conceded 18 shots against South Africa and allowed Angola 16 attempts in their final group fixture, figures that point to sustained pressure in both contests. Context is key, though. Against South Africa, Egypt spent the entire second half a man down, with Hugo Broos's side registering 17 of their 18 shots after the break. Meanwhile, the goalless draw with Angola saw Hassan rotate his squad heavily, prioritising freshness ahead of the knockout rounds."
"Benin approach the contest with little pressure, having already exceeded expectations by progressing as one of the four best third-placed teams. Gernot Rohr's side advanced from a difficult group containing Senegal and DR Congo, with qualification secured thanks to a narrow 1-0 win over Botswana. That victory, sealed by Yohan Roche's 28th-minute goal, marked Benin's first-ever 90-minute win at the Africa Cup of Nations finals, a landmark moment in the nation's footballing history."
Egypt enter the last-16 as Group B winners and favourites after back-to-back clean sheets in the group stage, but underlying numbers reveal vulnerability, having conceded 18 shots to South Africa and 16 to Angola. The South Africa match included a second-half red card for Egypt, and the Angola draw followed heavy rotation to preserve fitness for the knockouts. Egypt seek to avoid repeat last-16 eliminations from recent tournaments. Benin advance with little pressure, progressing as one of the best third-placed teams after a historic 1-0 win over Botswana sealed by Yohan Roche. Mohamed Salah, Omar Marmoush and Trezeguet should all be recalled to bolster Egypt's attack.
Read at 101GREATGOALS.COM
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