The fierce 2026 World Cup round of 32 match between Australia and Egypt at the Dallas Stadium on Saturday (4/7) early morning WIB was played with high tension. Until the 55th minute, both teams were tied at 1-1 after an own goal incident changed the course of the match.
Egypt took an early lead through Emam Ashour in the 13th minute. Capitalizing on an accurate cross from Karim Hafez, Ashour successfully headed the ball into Australia's net, putting The Pharaohs ahead 1-0. Following the goal, Egypt threatened several times through Omar Marmoush's efforts, but failed to double their lead.
Australia had actually been pressing since the opening minutes. Cristian Volpato almost gave his team the lead when his shot hit the crossbar. Similar attempts were made by Jordan Bos and Aziz Behich, but Egypt's disciplined defense and the alertness of goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir kept their goal safe throughout the first half.
Entering the second half, Australia increased their attacking intensity. The Socceroos coach's team's hard work finally paid off in the 55th minute. Starting from a free kick taken by Aiden O'Neill, the ball was misjudged by Egyptian defender Mohamed Hany, who inadvertently directed the ball into his own net.
In this crucial match, Egypt's main star, Mohamed Salah, was fielded from the first minute to lead the attack. Meanwhile, Australia continued to rely on Jackson Irvine's creativity in midfield to counter the opponent's tactical play. The winner of this match is scheduled to advance to the round of 16 to face the winner between Argentina and Cape Verde.
