Egypt's national team made history by defeating Australia in a penalty shootout to reach the last 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The dramatic match ended 1-1 after extra time on Friday at the AT&T Stadium in Texas before the Pharaohs won 4-2 on penalties.
Australia's Harry Souttar blasted the first penalty over the bar, putting immediate pressure on the Socceroos. The next five takers all scored, including Mohamed Salah with a cheeky chipped Panenka. The tide turned when 18-year-old Australian defender Lucas Herrington hit the crossbar, allowing Hossam Abdelmaguid to step up and convert the winning spot-kick. Salah was visibly emotional at the final whistle. Mohamed Salah said after the match, "I told the boys before the game that this is the biggest stage you can play on." The former Liverpool star added about his clever penalty, "If somebody was going to do it, it would be me. I decided last minute, I had to do it."
Emam Ashour gave Egypt the lead in the 13th minute with a header from a Karim Hafez cross. Australia equalized ten minutes after halftime when Mohamed Hany headed into his own net under pressure from a free-kick. This was Hany's second own goal of the tournament. Salah, who entered the match carrying a hamstring strain, struggled to make an impact throughout. Omar Marmoush missed a golden chance to make it 2-0 seconds after the restart. In extra time, Salah fired well over with his weaker right foot, making penalties seem inevitable.
This win marks Egypt's first-ever knockout stage victory in the men's World Cup. The achievement follows their first group stage win in this edition, a 3-1 victory over New Zealand. The victory sets up a potential clash with reigning champions Argentina in the next round, provided they overcome Cape Verde. The team's statistics page shows marked defensive improvement this tournament compared to previous campaigns.
Egypt's goalkeeper Mostafa Shoubir put in a solid performance, following in the footsteps of his father Ahmed Shoubir who played for Egypt at the 1990 World Cup. Australia coach Tony Popovic took a last-gasp gamble by bringing on experienced keeper Mathew Ryan specifically for the shootout. Australia was hampered by an injury to Jordan Bos, one of the tournament's fastest players, who had to be helped off before halftime after a strong challenge from Rabia. Kai Trewin replaced him in the second half. Check the latest updates on our injuries page. Egypt now prepares for its toughest test of the tournament, facing the winner of Argentina versus Cape Verde. Coach Hossam Hassan relies heavily on Salah to lead the attack while seeking midfield solutions to compensate for absent players. The focus is now on tactical preparation for the next stage of this historic run.
