Egypt advanced to the Round of 16 after beating Australia on penalties, but rather than immediately celebrate World Cup history, Mohamed Salah showed his class in Dallas
23:23, 03 Jul 2026Updated 23:34, 03 Jul 2026
Mohamed Salah shook hands with the Australian national team before celebrating Egypt's win
Mohamed Salah shook hands with the Australian national team before celebrating Egypt's win(Image: 2026 FIFA)
Liverpool legend Mohamed Salah showed his class immediately after Egypt won its first-ever World Cup knockout game against Australia, with a touching gesture to his heartbroken opponents.
There were injury concerns surrounding Salah heading into Friday's Round of 32 clash against Australia in Dallas, but he managed to play all 120 minutes as a 1-1 draw couldn't be decided in extra time. Egypt took the lead inside 13 minutes through Emam Ashour, but a Mohamed Hany own goal tied the game.
Egypt scored all four penalties during the shootout, and Salah even chipped substitute goalkeeper Matt Ryan, who failed to make an impact despite replacing Patrick Beach in the 119th minute. Two Australia misses handed Egypt a 4-2 shootout win, but Salah was composed as his nation advanced.
Salah could potentially be participating in his final World Cup, and it's been a memorable one for Egypt. Two draws and an emphatic 3-1 win over New Zealand saw Egypt finish second in the group, reaching the knockout stage for the first time.
Egypt was then handed a favorable tie against Australia, while group-winners Belgium faced Senegal and came back to win after trailing 2-0. The shootout win saw Egypt advance to face Argentina or Cape Verde in the Round of 16, marking its first World Cup knockout game.
As the Egyptians wheeled away in celebration once their fate was sealed, Salah calmly walked across the halfway line to console the Australian team. He showed complete respect before going on to celebrate and reflect on an historic moment.
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Salah was seen in tears on the field as he clapped the fans, with another precious milestone added to his decorated career. It was also an emotional occasion for Egypt, with fans also seen in tears at a watch party in Cairo, as shown on the FOX Sports broadcast.
While Salah failed to score in the game, his penalty not only helped Egypt advance to the next round but also served as a clear statement after a questionable coaching decision. Beach has been impressive for Australia at the World Cup, but the young goalkeeper was pulled for the more experienced Ryan.
Ryan has saved 12 penalties in his career and is seen as a specialist. However, he failed to make a save, and Salah even chipped the ball down the middle as Ryan stumbled over and fell to the ground.
Salah smiled at Matt Ryan after a cheeky penalty down the middle
Salah smiled at Matt Ryan after a cheeky penalty down the middle
Salah was then seen smiling at Ryan as he looked at the goal, and given the magnitude of the moment, it was humiliating. "If somebody was going to do it, it would be me," Salah said after the game.
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"I am more experienced than others and I wanted to give them confidence. I decided last minute, I had to do it."
Salah then spoke about advancing to the next round, and added, "It's history. I told the boys before the game that this is the biggest stage you can play on. Enjoy it and don't let the pressure get to you.
"I'm glad that we managed to win the game, bad luck for them. I'm happy that we wrote history today."