By Eniola Olatunji reporting for Patmos Media Line
…Sets Up R16 Battle Against Winner of Argentina vs Cape Verde Game.
THE PHARAOHS of Egypt on Friday became the second African team to qualify for the round of 16 games at the current football world cup when the nation edged out The Kangaroos (Socceroos) of Australia 4-2 penalty shootouts in a gritty encounter after the match ended 1-1 after extra time.
Home boy, Gossamer Abdelmageed of Zamelek FC took the kick that confirmed the Chariots of Egypt move into the R16 boat after Morocco.
M. Saber came in at 120th minute only to take penalty shootout which he scored, Rabin and Mo Salah scored in that order.
Souter and Herrington missed their kicks while Irvine and Mabul scored.
Cover photo shows the emotional lamentations of Australian players missing penalty kicks
Exam Ashour had opened scoring in open play in the 13th minute with a header from a set pieces after Jackson Irvine had committed a foul. However when Mostafa Zico committed a foul the resultant free kick by Aideen O’neal was deflected as own goal by Mohammed Hany in the 55th minute.
The game between Egypt ranked 29th in the world having a 4th appearances with a best R16 stage in 1934 and the Australians ranked 27th in their 7th appearances with a best of two R16 reaches in 2006 and 2022 was even as both sides lost nail bitting hissing attracting chances at goal even from Prolific Mohammed Salah who shot blank in the game.
Egypt will meet the winner between Argentina and Cape Verde in the round of 16 on July 7 in Atlanta.
Earlier a Switzerland team parading five African related players had beaten Algeria 2-0 to move to the round of 16.
Dan Ndoye and Breel Embolo whose origin is from Cameroon supplied the two goals for the Swiss that also paraded Johan Mazamba whose parents are from Angola and DR Congo; Manuel Obafemi Akanji the defence ace is believed to come from Ogbomoso as his father is Nigerian and mother is Swiss (he will be 31 on 19th July) and there is Noah Arinzechukwu Okafor born to a Nigerian father and South African mother.
Argentina will file out against Cape Verde shortly before Black Stars of Ghana play Coffee Growers of Columbia early tomorrow morning for the last game in R32. Winner of the Ghana vs Columbia clash will meet Switzerland in the R16 stage at Vancouver, Canada on July 7.
#FIFA #2026WORLDCUP #CAF #AFC #EFA #FOOTBALLAUSTRALIA #NFF.
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