Egypt confirms trend: Six African teams eliminated from World Cup 2026 with late goals

A striking trend has emerged during the 2026 World Cup, with six African teams suffering elimination after conceding decisive goals in the closing minutes of matches or during extra time. The latest instance saw Egypt eliminated by Argentina, losing 3-2 after Enzo Fernández scored in the 92nd minute, underscoring a pattern of late-game collapses for the continent's representatives.

This recurring outcome has affected teams such as South Africa, Ivory Coast, DR Congo, Senegal, and Cape Verde, all of whom were knocked out by late goals. Out of the eight teams from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) eliminated in the knockout stages, six succumbed in the final stretch of their matches, narrowly missing opportunities to advance.

The repeated nature of these defeats has sparked debate among former African footballers and coaches. Sunday Oliseh, a former captain and technical director for Nigeria, suggested that these losses stem from an "incapacity to administer advantages in the decisive minutes." He expressed concern that this pattern persists despite the growing experience of African players in managing game situations, noting that while younger teams might be forgiven for such naivety, seasoned players should be expected to take control.

Oliseh recalled his own experience with the Nigerian national team, which was eliminated from the 1994 World Cup after conceding two late goals to Italy, having held a lead for most of the match. The recent match against Argentina saw Egypt leading 2-0 before a late surge from the South American champions, with goals from Cristian Romero and Lionel Messi, followed by Fernández's winner, sealing their fate.

Similar scenarios unfolded for other African nations. South Africa lost to Canada 1-0 with a goal in the 91st minute, while Ivory Coast was defeated 2-1 by Norway after Erling Haaland scored in the 86th minute. DR Congo also experienced a similar fate against England, having held a lead for a significant portion of their match.

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The only consolation is that we were naive and new to this. But for it to happen again now, with the experience that African footballers have and knowing how teams know how to close out games when they are winning 1-0 or 2-0, it's worse. Many blame the coach, but experienced players should also have taken control.