Australia 1-1 Egypt (Egypt win 4-2 on penalties): Mohamed Salah's iconic panenka penalty sends the Pharaohs into last 16

Egypt secured their spot successful the last-16 signifier of the 2026 World Cup courtesy of a penalty-shootout occurrence implicit Australia connected Friday.

Emam Ashour sent Egypt up successful the 13th infinitesimal of the contest, but an ain extremity from Mohamed Hany levelled it up aboriginal successful the 2nd period.

Neither broadside could find a 2nd successful the remainder of the match, including extra-time, meaning that penalties were required to find a winner.

Egypt were cleanable from the punishment spot, including a panenka from Mohamed Salah, portion Australia missed 2 of their 4 efforts.

Salah enactment successful a man-of-the-match show for his nationalist squad to assistance them unafraid a presumption successful the adjacent round, perchance mounting up a conflict with a definite Lionel Messi.

Australia 1-1 Egypt (Egypt triumph 4-2 connected penalties): What conscionable happened?

In truth, this was a lucifer that lacked prime for agelong spells, with neither doing capable to unafraid the triumph successful mean time.

Extra-time was besides a non-event, with some settling for penalties arsenic they approached.

Harry Souttar and Lucas Herrington some missed from the spot for Australia, portion Salah was joined connected the scoresheet by Mahmoud Saber, Rami Rabia and Hossam Abdelmaguid for Egypt, with Hossam Hassan's broadside advancing to the circular of 16.

Australia 1-1 Egypt (Egypt triumph 4-2 connected penalties): The large talking point

Salah had been a flimsy wounded uncertainty pursuing an contented that helium sustained against Iran successful Egypt's last group-stage match, but the 34-year-old yet started against Australia and went connected to play the afloat 120 minutes.

The attacker had 2 shots, created 5 chances, had 3 palmy dribbles and won 3 fouls during the last-32 clash, according to WhoScored.

Salah besides came up trumps with a stunning panenka penalty, and helium volition present pb Egypt successful a last-16 clash astatine a World Cup, matching the country's achievements from 1934.

Australia 1-1 Egypt (Egypt triumph 4-2 connected penalties): The bigger picture

Egypt volition instrumentality connected either Argentina oregon Cape Verde successful the adjacent circular of the tournament, and Salah volition beryllium hoping to animate his state to different celebrated win.

It could good beryllium a match-up betwixt Salah and Messi.

While Messi is inactive influencing large games for Argentina, Salah's show level has dipped wide this summer, but it indispensable beryllium said that helium has inactive scored erstwhile and provided 2 assists astatine the 2026 World Cup.

This was not a cleanable show from Salah - acold from it - but helium showed that helium tin inactive beryllium a large subordinate astatine a large tournament.

What the aboriginal holds for Salah astatine nine level remains to beryllium seen, but for now, his afloat absorption is connected helping Egypt spell arsenic acold arsenic they tin astatine the 2026 World Cup.