Egypt cavort, Egypt dance, Egypt enjoy. They were far more clinical with the spot kicks; on balance, they were the more threatening over the 120 minutes of football, on Friday, 3 July.
But the margins weren’t that big. Australia will be crushed, having once again failed to win a World Cup knockout game: that’s zero for three now. But Egypt have done it at last.
At long last, because their previous chance was at the 1934 World Cup, when they were beaten by Hungary in the round of 16. A full 92 years later, they’re now going to be playing in a round of 16 again!
Egypt held their nerve and moved into the last 16 with a 4-2 penalty shootout win following a 1-1 draw after extra time at Dallas Stadium.
Hossam Abdelmaguid rolled in the winning spot-kick after Harry Souttar and Lucas Herrington missed from 12 yards for the Australians as Egypt recorded their first win in a World Cup knockout match.
Emam Ashour had given Egypt the lead with a 13th-minute header before an own goal by Mohamed Hany 10 minutes into the second half levelled the scores.
Mohamed Salah was an unexpected inclusion in Egypt’s starting line-up, the forward recovering sufficiently from a hamstring strain to take up his customary position on the right of the attack.
Cristian Volpato gave the African side an early scare with a dipping strike from distance that clipped the top of goalie Mostafa Shoubir’s crossbar but Hossam Hassan’s side were soon in front.
Jackson Irvine needlessly gave away a free kick to the left of the penalty area when he upended Mostafa Zico and, with the defence only half-clearing Ashour’s initial centre, the winger popped up to head Karim Hafez’s cross beyond goalie Patrick Beach.
Marmoush Threatens
Omar Marmoush threatened briefly and Australia’s Aziz Behich forced Shoubir to drop to his right to gather before Volpato, the Socceroos’ most creative outlet in the opening half, curled a stoppage-time strike wide.
The Australians were fortunate not to go further behind within 10 seconds of the restart when Marmoush slid his shot across goal with Beach beaten and they were soon level.
Aiden O’Neill picked himself up after being fouled on the left to deliver an inswinging free kick into the six-yard box, prompting Hany to flick a header into his own goal.
Beach pulled off a reflex save deep into stoppage time to take the match into extra-time, the Melbourne City FC goalkeeper pawing Ramy Rabia’s header over the bar while Haissem Hassan’s effort was deflected to safety by Souttar’s outstretched knee.
An unmarked Salah, who had been muted throughout regulation time, thumped Marmoush’s layoff over the bar three minutes into the extra period to grant Tony Popovic’s side a reprieve with Egypt increasingly dominant.
How The Penalties Went
Beach made way for Mat Ryan between the posts as Popovic attempted to make use of the 34-year-old’s experience but Souttar fired the first spot-kick over the bar to hand the Egyptians an early advantage.
Mahmoud Saber, Ramy Rabia and Salah were all on target for Egypt with Jackson Irvine and Awer Mabil converting for Australia before Herrington rattled the crossbar in the fourth round and Abdelmaguid stepped up to send Egypt into the last 16.
*PHOTO CAPTION: Egypt players celebrate winning the shootout. 3rd right is Salah.
