Egypt captain Mohamed Salah has said he counted on his experience and took a panenka penalty to boost his teammates after converting in their shootout win over Australia to win their first-ever World Cup knockout match.
Pharaohs icon Salah sent his shot down the middle as all four Egypt players succeeded with their spot kicks to beat the Socceroos 4-2 in the shootout following a 1-1 draw in Dallas, where Emam Ashour headed Hossam Hassan’s side in front in the 13th minute but Mohamed Hany scored a 55th-minute own goal.
“I don’t know,” Salah confessed to BBC Sport when the forward was asked about his thinking and nerves for the penalty.
“If somebody was doing it in the game, it would be me. I have more experience than the others and I want to give them confidence. I had to decide at the last minute.”
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World Cup 2026: What Mohamed Salah told Egypt
Salah, who won every major domestic trophy at least once and the Champions League with Liverpool before leaving the club at the end of last season, said he had told Egypt’s squad to “just enjoy” the biggest match of their international careers.
“Don’t let the pressure get to you,” he added of his advice, offering a measure of sympathy for Australia’s “tough” result.
“I don’t know if it’s my last [World] Cup or not but I had to do it [the panenka penalty]. Argentina will play next [against Cape Verde] in a bit, so we have to respect each team, and we’ll see [which of those sides will be] next.”
Mohamed Salah: Next World Cup 2026 match
Lionel Messi’s side and the Blue Sharks meet at 23:00 BST on Friday for the right to take on Egypt in the last 16 in Atlanta.
Here’s when Egypt are next in action and their potential schedule, as well as kick-off times in different territories and live TV coverage details in the UK.
| Date | Match | Result | Stage | Time (BST) | ET | PT | Channel |
| July 7 | Egypt vs Argentina/Cape Verde | Round of 16 | 17:00 | 12:00 | 09:00 | ITV | |
| July 12 | TBC | Quarter-finals | 02:00 | 21:00 | 18:00 | TBC | |
| July 15 | TBC | Semi-finals | 20:00 | 15:00 | 12:00 | TBC | |
| July 18 | TBC | Third-placed match | 22:00 | 17:00 | 14:00 | TBC | |
| July 19 | TBC | Final | 20:00 | 15:00 | 12:00 | BBC, ITV |
World Cup 2026: Egypt team vs Argentina
Egypt made five changes from their 1-1 draw with Iran, bringing in Hafez, Marwan Attia, Yasser Ibrahim, Hamdi Fathy and Marmoush.
Wideman Ahmed Fatouh was out with a hamstring tear, as was centre-back Mohamed Abdelmonem with severe ankle bruising.
Saber, Trezeguet and the banned Mohanad Lasheen also made way. Salah had been a doubt after being substituted after 57 minutes against Iran with a hamstring injury.
Egypt starting XI: Mostafa Shobeir, Mohamed Hany, Yasser Ibrahim, Ramy Rabia, Karim Hafez, Emam Ashour, Hamdi Fathy, Marwan Attia, Omar Marmoush, Mohamed Salah, Mostafa Zico
Egypt substitutes: Mohamed El Shenawy, Hossam Abdelmaguid, Trezeguet, Hamza Abdelkarim, Haissem Hassan, El Mahdy Soliman, Nabil Emad Dunga, Ibrahim Adel, Mahmoud Saber, Tarek Alaa, Zizo, Mohamed Alaa
World Cup 2026: Australia v Egypt stats
- Egypt scored more goals in three-and-a-half matches at this World Cup (six) than they had managed in seven prior games at the finals (five)
- With an average age of 30 years and 67 days, this was Egypt’s second-oldest ever World Cup starting side, after their 2018 group stage loss to Saudi Arabia (30y 218d)
- It was also the oldest by any African side in a knockout game
- Salah’s side had 70% of the ball during the first 15 minutes
- Hany’s own goal ensured this tournament has witnessed the most own goals ever during a single World Cup
- Australia’s preceding stalemate with Paraguay was their first 0-0 draw at the tournament since an encounter with Chile in 1974
- A return of two goals during the 2026 group stage equalled Australia’s fewest during a World Cup group stage since not scoring any in 1974
- Jackson Irvine (11 appearances) is the third player to reach 10 games for the Australia at the tournament, after Leckie (11) and Mathew Ryan (10)
- This was the first time Egypt had reached the knockout rounds after playing in a group stage
- Saber’s goal after four minutes and 26 seconds against Iran was Egypt’s fastest in their World Cup history
- Mostafa Shobeir is the second Egypt goalkeeper to save a penalty in a World Cup match, after Essam El Hadary, who did so against Saudi Arabia in 2018
- Salah is the first Egypt player to make at least five World Cup starts (now on 6), although the time the forward played against Iran represented his fewest by 19 minutes in a World Cup match
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