Egypt booked their place in the last-16 of the World Cup finals after overcoming Australia with a tense penalty shootout victory in Dallas.
There was very little to choose between these two sides in a tense and cagey affair, before Hossam Abdelmaguid’s winning spot-kick set up a meeting with either Argentina or Cabo Verde, who play later on Friday.
With these sides sitting just two places apart in the FIFA rankings, it was perhaps unsurprising that there was very little to choose between them here.
Cristian Volpato came agonisingly close to giving Australia an early lead when his long-range shot cannoned off the post.
But after a promising start by The Socceroos, Egypt took the lead with 13 minutes on the clock when Emam Ashour headed home from Karim Hafez’s cross.
Australia equalised 10 minutes into the second via a fortuitous own goal, as Aiden O’Neill’s free-kick was headed into his own net by Mohamed Hany.
That would be the 13th own goal scored at this World Cup, more than in any other tournament.
Ramy Rabia had a chance to win the game late on for Egypt after being picked out by Mohamed Salah’s cross, but his header was superbly parried over by Patrick Beach.
Extra time passed by with little in the way of further action, with Australia deciding to replace Beach with former Mathew Ryan between the sticks.
It counted for little in the end, as Harry Souttar and Lucas Herrington missed from the spot, before Abdelmaguid converted from 12 yards to spark rapturous celebrations at the final whistle.
