Egypt Advances to World Cup Round of 16 with 4-2 Penalty Shootout Win Over Australia

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Hossam Abdelmaguid scored the winning penalty as Egypt made history by beating a dogged Australia 4-2 on penalties to reach the World Cup last 16 on Friday.

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A tense affair in which Egypt and their off-colour captain Mohamed Salah wasted the better chances had ended 1-1 after 120 minutes in Texas.

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Lionel Messi’s Argentina loom next for Egypt, as long as the reigning champions avoid a massive upset against tournament debutants Cape Verde in their last-32 encounter.

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The Pharaohs will celebrate anyway having reached this stage of a World Cup for the first time ever.

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Australia coach Tony Popovic threw on experienced goalkeeper Mathew Ryan for the penalty shootout in a last-gasp gamble.

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Shooting towards the Egypt fans and whistles raining down, defender Harry Souttar blazed the first penalty over to put the Socceroos on the immediate backfoot.

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They next five players all scored, including Salah with the coolest of penalties, before 18-year-old Australia defender Lucas Herrington hit the bar.

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Abdelmaguid kept his nerve to send Egypt through to leave Salah in tears of joy and break Australia hearts.

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Emam Ashour had given seven-time African champions Egypt the lead from a header after 13 minutes at the air-conditioned home of the Dallas Cowboys.

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The early goal put the onus on a shot-shy Australia who scored only twice in the group phase to attack in front of a crowd of 70,000.

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With Salah mostly ineffective following injury in Egypt’s last game, the Socceroos equalised 10 minutes after half-time when Mohamed Hany headed into his own net.

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Both sides sensed history, neither having won a knockout game before at a men’s World Cup, and they went to extra time after some late Egypt pressure.

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With nothing to divide them they went to penalties.

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Salah on fringes

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Popovic’s side had nearly taken the lead with less than five minutes gone as Cristian Volpato — who switched to Australia from Italy on the eve of the World Cup — rattled the top of the crossbar.

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Egypt, who won a World Cup match for the first time in the group phase when they beat New Zealand 3-1, looked nervy at the back.

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Slightly against the run of play Hossam Hassan’s men took the lead.

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Australia forward Nestory Irankunda failed to pick up Ashour, who headed home at the back post from a cross by Karim Hafez for his second goal of the tournament.

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The Socceroos had their first shot on target 10 minutes before the break when full-back Aziz Behich fired tamely at goalkeeper Mostafa Shoubir.

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His father, Ahmed, played in goal for Egypt at the 1990 World Cup.

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The 34-year-old talisman Salah, who came into the match after a hamstring strain, made little impact in an attritional first 45 minutes.

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The half ended with Jordan Bos, one of the fastest players at the tournament, in a heap after a robust flying challenge from Rabia.

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The wing-back had to be helped from the pitch and was replaced at half-time by Kai Trewin in a blow to Australian hopes.

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Seconds after the restart it should have been 2-0 when Egypt’s Manchester City attacker Omar Marmoush slid the ball off-target from close range.

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Egypt’s coach had said he was wary of Australia’s physical approach, and so it proved as Hany headed under pressure into his own net from an in-swinging Socceroos free-kick.

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It was Hany’s second own goal of the tournament.

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Former Liverpool superstar Salah remained a peripheral figure but was involved in the build-up as Australian stopper Patrick Beach saved athletically deep in added time to keep out Ramy and force another 30 minutes.

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Egypt finished normal time the stronger and Salah fired well over early in extra time on his weaker right foot, with penalties looking increasingly inevitable.

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Salah though was to prove more reliable in the shootout as Egypt triumphed.

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AFP

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