At the end of the suspense and an endless penalty shootout, DR Congo eliminated Egypt (1-1 ap, 8-7 tab) in the round of 16 of the African Cup of Nations, Saturday, at San Pedro. She will face Guinea in the quarter-finals.
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4 mins
Experience versus carelessness. Egypt and its seven CAN titles, a model of consistency in the competition, against DR Congo, a team in full reconstruction, but impressive in its physical power.
This was the poster for this round of 16 of CAN 2024, Sunday January 28 at the Laurent Pokou stadium in San Pedro. An indecisive meeting between two teams who had laboriously emerged from the groups, after having each drawn three matches.
Read alsoThe program for the round of 16 of CAN 2024
Without its star striker Mohamed Salah, injured and decidedly cursed in the African Cup, nor its starting goalkeeper, Mohamed El-Shenawy, also out for the rest of the competition, Egypt did not present itself in its best light.
The Leopards therefore try to take advantage from the start, placing a quick attack, but Elia’s shot ends up above (3rd). The Pharaons react, creating the first opportunity of the match with a free kick, but Hegazy’s header hits the crossbar (8th).
Elia scores first
After a first quarter of an hour to endure, the DR Congo decided to show off its physical power, increasing the number of incursions into the Egyptian area and free kicks. But there is still – and always – a lack of precision in the last gesture. Egypt held on, and also relied on set pieces, like Zizo’s free kick which made Mpasi shine (36th).
We have to find the solution to unlock the scoreboard, and it is through mischief that the Leopards achieve it. As the Egyptians turned to the referee to contest a throw-in, Masuaku played it quickly and found Wissa going alone on goal. His cross is blocked, but Elia concludes with a diving header (37th, 1-0).
No time to enjoy for the Leopards, since in the process, on an Egyptian offensive, the referee is alerted and consults the VAR: Batubinsika put his arm in Hegazy’s face in an aerial duel. Penalty. Mostafa Mohamed coolly converted by taking Mpasi on the wrong foot (45th + 1, 1-1) and took the opportunity to move closer to one unit in the scorers’ ranking of the Equatorial Guinean Emilio Nsue, just eliminated.
Endless match…
Probably upset, the Leopards return from the locker room determined, but Bakambu’s attempt hits the post (53rd). At the hour mark, it was the Pharaohs who regained the upper hand, but Mpasi saved his team against Zizo (61st), then reassured again in front of Attia (64th).
The end of the match becomes messier, and the changes don’t change anything. The players seem to be heading slowly but surely towards overtime. The Egyptians try to repeat the same move as in the first period, it doesn’t work. Hamada fails to recapture Zizo’s cross (85th), and Mpasi authoritatively boxes the final corner of regulation time (90th+5).
…and unbearable suspense
At the start of extra time, Hamdy received a yellow card for an intervention very late on Banza (96th). It’s the second, and Egypt must finish the match numerically inferior. The DR Congo then thought it had its chance and increased its offensives in the Egyptian camp. But the Pharaohs, for their part, play “on experience”: Gabalski, after a missed exit, remains on the ground for long minutes, Marmoush rolls after a virile but correct contact… Everything is good to stretch the match until the shots to goal.
And in this little game, it is the DR Congo which comes out on top, after an interminable session, which saw nine shooters set off on each side. The Congolese Mpasi wins this duel at a distance from the goalkeepers, when Gabaski sees his shot bounce off the crossbar. Courageously, the Leopards validate their ticket for the quarter-finals, where they will meet Guinea on Saturday.
Read alsoFind the final table
