D.R. Congo will face Guinea in the last eight after a dramatic round of 16 shootout victory against Egypt without Mohamed Salah.
The Democratic Republic of Congo pulled off a major upset at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations last night, stunning seven-time champions Egypt 8-7 after a thrilling penalty shootout win in the round of 16.
Pulse Sports Nigeria reports that D.R Congo defeated the 10-man Pharaohs without their main man, Mohamed Salah, on penalties in an explosive game that ended 1-1 after extra time on Sunday night.
The stadium was ablaze with intensity during the entire 120 minutes of play. D.R. Congo took the lead in the 37th minute when Meschack Elia netted a crucial header from the six-yard box, marking the game’s opening goal.
Despite Egypt’s swift response with an equaliser, via a penalty as converted by Mostafa Mohamed, the seven-time champions couldn’t break down D.R Congo’s resilient defence during the second half.
As the game extended into extra time, Egypt’s woes deepened when Hamdi Mohamed received a second yellow card, reducing them to 10 men. Yet, the numerical disadvantage didn’t stifle Egypt’s efforts, and the chances kept coming.
With both sides locked at 1-1, the match progressed to a penalty shootout. Egypt faced misfortune as top scorer Mostafa Mohamed and goalkeeper Gabaski missed their spot kicks.
At the same time, D.R Congo’s Arthur Masuaku had also missed his earlier, but D.R Congo secured an 8-7 victory on penalties, progressing to the quarter-finals.
This defeat marks Egypt’s second consecutive failure to advance from the Round of 16 in three attempts, with the Pharaohs crashing out of the AFCON 2023 without a single win after four consecutive draws.
Meanwhile, D.R. Congo, previously eliminated in their first knockout game in 2019 and 2017, celebrate their progression and will now face Guinea in the quarterfinals, poised to be another thrilling encounter in their quest for AFCON glory.
