Egypt eliminated Australia on Friday in the Round of 16 of the World Cup, in a tight, tense, and closely contested match. After a 1-1 draw at the end of regulation and extra time, the Pharaohs prevailed 4-2 in the penalty shootout.
This victory gives Egypt a historic qualification for the round of 16. The Pharaohs had not reached this stage of the competition since 1934. It is also their first victory in a knockout match in the World Cup.
Ashour launches Egypt, Hany relaunches Australia
Egypt took an early lead. In the 13th minute, Emam Ashour opened the scoring with a header, giving the Pharaohs the lead in a hard-fought match. Australia responded after the break. In the 55th minute, the Socceroos equalized thanks to an own goal by Mohamed Hany. This goal leveled the score and kept the suspense alive until the end of regulation time. Neither Australia nor Egypt could find a winner. Extra time failed to produce a clear-cut chance to separate the two sides, and the match went to a penalty shootout.
Egypt remains strong, Australia is cracking
In the penalty shootout, the Egyptians displayed composure. M. Saber, R. Rabia, Mohamed Salah, and H. Abdelmaguid all converted their attempts. For Australia, J. Irvine and A. Mabil scored, but H. Souttar and L. Herrington missed. These two misses ultimately secured qualification for Egypt. Final score: Australia 1-1 Egypt, 2-4 on penalties.
Argentina or Cape Verde in the next round
Thanks to this success, Egypt continues its journey in the 2026 World Cup. The Pharaohs will face the winner of the match between Argentina and Cape Verde, scheduled for Friday night/Saturday morning, in the round of 16.
