The seven-time champions made a dream start, taking the lead after just four minutes. Emam Ashour played a searching pass into the penalty area that appeared to carry little danger, but Omar Marmoush reacted quickest to capitalise and beat Ivory Coast goalkeeper Yahia Fofana to give Egypt an early advantage.
Despite the setback, Ivory Coast responded positively and competed well throughout the opening exchanges. They dominated possession for long periods in the first half and applied sustained pressure, with Evann Guessand going close when his header drifted narrowly wide.
Egypt, however, doubled their lead just after the half-hour mark. Mohamed Salah swung in a precise corner and Ramy Rabia rose above the defence to power a header beyond Fofana, seemingly putting the North Africans in control.
Ivory Coast refused to relent and were rewarded five minutes before the break when Ahmed Fatouh inadvertently diverted a free-kick into his own net, reducing the deficit to 2-1 at half-time and reigniting the contest.
Any hopes of a full comeback were dented early in the second half as Egypt restored their two-goal cushion five minutes after the restart. Ashour again provided the creative spark, setting up Salah, who finished clinically to make it 3-1.
Ivory Coast ensured a tense finale when Guela Doue scored from a corner, setting up a dramatic closing spell. Despite enjoying overall dominance and pushing hard for an equaliser, they were unable to find a third goal.
Egypt held firm under pressure to secure the win, eliminating Ivory Coast despite their impressive performance. The victory sends Egypt into a semi-final clash with Senegal on Wednesday.
Mohamed Salah maintains that Egypt are still not favourites to win the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations despite securing their place in the semi-finals with a 3-2 win over Ivory Coast.
Senegal head coach Pape Thiaw has praised his side's composure while admitting they could have put the game beyond doubt after edging Mali 1-0 to secure a place in the semi-finals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
Ivory Coast coach Emerse Fae has issued a stark warning to his players ahead of their Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final clash against Egypt on Saturday, drawing on lessons from his own experience as a player in the 2006 final.
Mali head coach Tom Saintfiet has saluted his players for their courage and commitment after their Africa Cup of Nations journey ended with a narrow 1-0 quarter-final defeat to Senegal.
