Salah scores cheeky Panenka as Egypt reach World Cup knockout history
Mohamed Salah converted a bold Panenka penalty to help Egypt defeat Australia and secure a historic place in the next round of the World Cup.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Author: Jeanpierrekepseu
Egypt have made history by reaching the knockout stages of the World Cup for the first time, overcoming a resilient Australia side in a tense penalty shootout. The match finished 1-1 after extra time, with Emam Ashour's opener cancelled out by a second-half own goal from Mohamed Hany.
In the shootout, misses from Harry Souttar and Lucas Herrington proved costly for Australia, allowing Hossam Abdelmaguid to secure a 4-2 victory for the Pharaohs. The decisive moment came when captain Mohamed Salah stepped up to face substitute goalkeeper Mat Ryan and delivered a calm chip down the middle.
I decided in the last minute. I am more experienced than others and I wanted to give them confidence. I don't know if it’s my last World Cup or not, but I had to do it. Mohamed Salah
Salah noted that his decision was made under pressure to lead by example. This result marks a monumental milestone, making Egypt only the fifth African nation to ever progress through a World Cup knockout round, joining the likes of Cameroon, Senegal, Ghana, and Morocco.
The squad must now prepare for a challenging round-of-16 clash against Argentina, who advanced after a high-scoring encounter with Cape Verde. Defensive solidity and capitalising on counter-attacks will be vital for the underdogs in the next stage.