Egypt reached the FIFA World Cup Round of 16 for the first time by defeating Australia in a penalty shootout. Following the team's historic victory, head coach Hossam Hassan was seen waving the Palestinian flag and dedicated the win to the people of Palestine.
In the Round of 32 match played at Dallas Stadium, Egypt secured a place in the last 16 by defeating Australia 4-2 in a penalty shootout. This was Egypt's first knockout-stage victory in World Cup history. With this win, Egypt joined the select group of African teams that have won a World Cup match through a penalty shootout. Previously, Morocco had recorded penalty shootout victories in 2022 and 2006.
After the match ended, Hossam Hassan entered the pitch carrying both the Egyptian and Palestinian flags. Many fans present in the stadium also chanted "Free Palestine." Speaking to reporters, Hassan said that this victory was not only for Egypt but also for the people of Palestine. He said, "I dedicate this victory to the people of both Egypt and Palestine. They are kind and honorable people. May God have mercy on their martyrs and give them strength."
Earlier, the match had been highly exciting. In the 13th minute, Emam Ashour gave Egypt a 1-0 lead by scoring the opening goal with a superb header from Karim Hafez's cross. However, in the second half, Egypt's player Aiden O'Neill accidentally scored an own goal while attempting to clear the ball, making the score 1-1.
After the score remained level through 90 minutes, the match went into extra time, but neither team was able to score. The game then went to a penalty shootout, where Egypt converted all four of its attempts, while Australia missed two, allowing Egypt to win the shootout 4-2. Egypt will now face Argentina in the Round of 16 on July 8.
