D.R. Congo ousted Egypt from the Africa Cup of Nations by clinching victory 8-7 on penalties in the round of 16 at Stade Laurent Pokou, where the atmosphere remained electric throughout the full 120 minutes of play.
Meschack Elia propelled D.R. Congo into the lead with a header from the six-yard box in the 37th minute, marking the game’s opening goal. Despite D.R. Congo’s initial advantage, the Pharaohs demonstrated their resilience, promptly responding to the lead in the first half.
Following a VAR review, Egypt was awarded a penalty, which attacker Mostafa Mohamed confidently converted. The match extended into extra time, marking the tournament’s first occurrence in Cote D’Ivoire.
Egypt faced misfortune from the penalty spot, with both Mostafa Mohamed and goalkeeper Gabaski failing to convert their kicks, while Arthur Masuaku missed earlier for D.R. Congo. Ultimately, D.R. Congo secured a narrow 8-7 victory on penalties, securing their spot in the quarter-finals.
Egypt’s inability to progress past the round of 16 marks their second such disappointment in three previous attempts. Sebastien Desabre’s squad now sets their sights on a clash with Guinea in the quarter-finals.
