Hello, hello, hello and welcome to the Afcon show. We’re into the last 16, with the seven-time champions facing a side that have reached the quarter-finals just once. Even then, when Benin got to the last eight in 2019, it was without winning a single game in normal time; a shootout win against Morocco was preceded by three draws in the group stage. Egypt are the giants here, chasing No 8.
Despite his country’s past glories and all his success at club level, Mo Salah is still chasing his first Afcon title. He scored two goals in the group stage, including the winner against Zimbabwe, as Egypt finished top. Benin finally secured their first Afcon victory in normal time with a 1-0 win agaist Botswana, and find themselves here via a third-place finish. Agadir is the scene for what looks a routine job for Salah and co … though the last 16 is where they fell two years ago, dumped out on penalties by DR Congo. Here’s to some proper knockout drama in Agadir. Kick-off’s at 4pm GMT.