The Egypt national team secured their spot in the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup after a fierce battle against Australia at the AT&T Stadium, Arlington, on Friday (4/7/2026). The victory was achieved through a 4-2 penalty shootout drama, after both teams drew 1-1 until the end of extra time.
The match was tight from the opening minutes. Egypt took an early lead through Emam Ashour's strike in the 13th minute, capitalizing on a fine pass from Karim Hafez. However, that lead vanished in the 55th minute due to an own goal by Mohamed Hany, who was trying to clear an Australian attack. The level score lasted until the end of the 120 minutes of play, despite both teams continuing to launch dangerous attacks.
Entering the penalty shootout, the Egyptian players' mentality proved superior. Four Egyptian executioners successfully converted their penalties perfectly, while two Australian penalty-takers, Harry Souttar and Lucas Harrington, failed to convert. This result also concluded Australia's journey in the quadrennial tournament.
Thanks to this positive result, the team nicknamed The Pharaohs is now preparing for their next big challenge. They are scheduled to face Argentina at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, to compete for a ticket to the quarter-finals.
