Egypt won a FIFA World Cup knockout match for the very first time, beating Australia 4-2 on penalties in Dallas to reach the Round of 16 where they'll face either defending champions Argentina or Cape Verde.
A stunning long-range effort from Australia’s Cristian Volpato clipped the top of the bar after just five minutes in Texas, and almost directly afterwards, only a last-ditch tackle from Egypt’s Rami Rabia stopped Jordan Bos from opening the scoring after he’d run straight through their defence.
However, with their first attempt on target in the 13th minute, Egypt took the lead, with Emam Ashour stooping low at the far post to guide Karim Hafez’s delicious cross home.
Although Australia then began to settle into their rhythm more quickly, Egypt looked the more incisive in attack.
With half an hour played, the Socceroos still hadn’t managed a shot on target, and when Aziz Behich eventually did, Mostafa Shobeir was equal to it. Dominating possession and attempting over 100 more passes told a story of the Egyptian dominance, though Mo Salah remained peripheral as HT approached.
The Pharaohs were still in the ascendancy as the whistle was blown, giving Tony Popovic food for thought ahead of the break.
Within 10 seconds of the restart, Omar Marmoush was clean through, though the Egyptian couldn’t even hit the target, and as Australia attacked shortly after, Connor Metcalfe rose at the far post but could only clean out Mohamed Hany rather than direct the ball goalwards.
Hany’s game then went from bad to worse as he directed a brilliant delivery from an Australian free-kick into his own net.
Clear-cut chances were at a premium from there, until Egypt rallied and applied late pressure on the Socceroos' goal. Patrick Beach made an incredible one-handed save to keep Ramy Rabia's powerful header out, before Harry Souttar blocked Haisem Hassan's effort to ensure the game went into ET.
Salah’s first sight of goal in the game saw him blast his shot over when well placed, and the match once again took on a familiar pattern thereafter.
The extra half-hour saw neither goalkeeper overly worked, though with two minutes left, Mathew Ryan was brought on for Beach between the sticks, no doubt with a view to pulling off some heroics in the penalty shootout.
Souttar blazed the first spot-kick over to hand Egypt, who had lost their last four shootouts, an immediate advantage, one they never looked like surrendering. Salah's audacious Panenka epitomised their belief, and 18-year-old Lucas Herrington missing for Australia presented Hossam Abdelmaguid with the chance to win it, which he took with aplomb to send them through to the last 16.
