Egypt Eliminates Australia on Penalties to Reach World Cup Round of 16

Egypt secured a spot in the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup after defeating Australia 4-2 on penalties, following a 1-1 draw in regulation and extra time, in a match held on Friday evening at Dallas Stadium in the Round of 32.

The Egyptian team started the match strongly, with Imam Ashour scoring early with a precise header in the 13th minute, giving the "Pharaohs" a 1-0 lead at halftime.

In the second half, Australia equalized when Mohamed Hani scored an own goal in the 55th minute, bringing the match back to square one.

Both teams attempted to snatch a winning goal in the remaining minutes, but all efforts were in vain, leading to two extra time periods that saw no change in the score, forcing a penalty shootout.

The Egyptian players displayed great composure from the spot, winning the shootout 4-2 and confirming their advancement to the Round of 16.

In the next round, Egypt will face the winner of the match between Argentina and Cape Verde.

Egypt qualified for the Round of 32 after finishing second in Group G with 5 points, behind Belgium on goal difference, while Australia reached this stage by finishing second in Group D with 4 points.