Related videos:
Egypt eliminated Australia in the Round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup by winning the penalty shootout 4-2, after drawing 1-1 at the end of the 120 minutes played this Friday at the , Texas.
The match started with an African advantage: in the 13th minute, Emam Ashour headed the ball accurately after a cross into the area following a free kick to make it 1-0. Australia looked for a response and found the equalizer in the most unexpected way: in the 55th minute, Egyptian defender Mohamed Hany accidentally diverted the ball into his own net to level the score at one.
The score of 1-1 held until the end of regulation time and the entire extra period, even though the Australians registered more shots in total (16 compared to 14). However, their accuracy was a major issue: only one of those shots was on target, compared to four for the Egyptians, who also dominated possession (58% to 42%) and corner kicks (seven to four).
The penalty kick was devastating for the Socceroos. Captain Harry Souttar took the first shot for Australia and sent his attempt over the crossbar.
From that point on, Egypt did not relent: Mahmoud Saber, Rami Rabia, Mohamed Salah, and a fourth executor converted all their four shots. Australia could only score through J. Irvine and A. Mabil, while L. Herrington missed the final Australian attempt, concluding the match with a 4-2 score in penalties.
With this victory, Egypt reaches the Round of 16 in a World Cup for the first time since 1934, marking a historic achievement for African football. The Egyptians had already shown signs of their potential during the group stage by defeating New Zealand 3-1, their first historic win in World Cup competitions.
Australia, on the other hand, confirms a statistic that has always followed its national team: the Socceroos have never won a knockout match in a World Cup, and this tournament was no exception.
Egypt now awaits in the round of sixteen for the winner of the matchup between Argentina and Cabo Verde, scheduled for this Friday as well.
Filed under: