Egypt beats Australia on penalties to reach World Cup round of 16

Egypt secured a historic place in the World Cup round of 16 by defeating Australia 4-2 on penalties following a 1-1 draw after 120 minutes. The North African team will now face Argentina.

Mohamed Salah, Egypt's biggest star, was largely quiet for 90 minutes. Coach Hossam Hassan gave him freedom to roam the attack, but the forward struggled to find his position or make a decisive touch. In extra time, with the score tied 1-1, Salah moved to the right wing, his signature position in European football, and created two consecutive chances that ultimately led to Egypt's victory.

Goalkeeper Patrick Beach made an exceptional save against a Rami Rabia header, and defender Harry Souttar blocked a Haissem Hassan shot. The match went into extra time, but its outcome was foreshadowed. Egypt seized control in the extra period, pushing for a win to avoid penalties. Salah received a pass from Omar Marmoush in the box, but his hurried right-footed shot went high. However, he did not falter from the penalty spot, scoring his attempt with a Panenka-style chip that went in down the middle as goalkeeper Mathew Ryan dived left.

Egypt's victory marks a significant achievement, as they have now guaranteed a fifth match in the tournament. In their previous three World Cup appearances (1934, 1990, and 2018), they had lost six out of seven games. The team is built around players from Egypt's top clubs, Al-Ahly, Zamalek, and Pyramids, instilling a style of play that emphasizes attacking dominance.

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With a manotazo excepcional ante un cabezazo de Rami Rabia, el arquero Patrick Beach desbarató la primera; con una rodilla, el defensor central Harry Souttar bloqueó un remate de Haissem Hassan en la segunda.