2024-01-28 23:17:20
The Democratic Republic of Congo secured their ticket to the quarter-finals of the CAN, by eliminating an Egypt that holds the record for titles in that competition. In a game of great suffering, the team captained by Mbemba emerged smiling from the penalty shoot-out, which meant the end of the line for the Egyptian coach, Rui Vitória.
After a start that featured one opportunity for each side, the game cooled off a little. The heat only returned close to 45 minutes into the game, in a period in which both teams took advantage of their opponent’s distractions to score.
The Congolese scored first, in a move in which Brentford forward Yoane Wissa asked for a quick throw into the area and in a few seconds, with the Egyptian defense asleep, he assisted Meschack Elia for the first goal of the game.
The VAR did not see any irregularity in this move, but, minutes later, it saw Batubinsika’s (ex-Famalicão) elbow in Hegazy’s face, and therefore awarded a penalty that Mostafa Mohammed converted, offering some relief to Rui Vitória’s bench.
From the second half onwards, scoring opportunities came much less frequently, as the fear of losing consumed both teams. The progressively conservative football took the game to extra time, where Mohamed Hamdi was sent off for accumulating yellow cards, despite only having entered at half-time.
With Egypt reduced to 10, the Congolese – who already had the Minho Simon Banza on the field – they tried for the decisive goal, but that decision was saved for penalties. It took 18 shots in that painful shootout, which only ended in a goalkeeper duel: Gabaski shot the post, Mpasi, confident, resolved it.
The Democratic Republic of Congo team will be present in the CAN quarter-finals, where they already have a meeting scheduled with Guinea Concari, who also eliminated Equatorial Guinea this Sunday (0-1).
EGYPT
A TIE
REP.DEM. OF THE CONGO
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