Africa Cup of Nations 2023: Egypt 1-1 DR Congo (7-8 on penalties) – Mbasi is the Round of 16 champion for the Panthers

Goalkeeper Lionel Mbasi scored the 18th penalty kick of the nerve-wracking penalty shootout as the Democratic Republic of the Congo pulled off the latest upset of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations by eliminating seven-time champions Egypt from the quarter-finals after a 1-1 draw after a 1-1 draw. extra time.

Their lead lasted nine minutes before Mostafa Mohamed scored a penalty at the end of the first half after Ahmed Hegazy was struck by Dylan Batubinsika's arm.

Egypt ended the match with ten players after left-back Mohamed Hamdy received the second yellow card seven minutes into extra time after a wrong tackle on Simon Panza.

After the Pharaohs' goalkeeper Gabaski hit the crossbar in the ninth round of penalties, Mbasi went ahead to win 8-7 on penalties.

In the absence of injured captain Mohamed Salah, coach Rui Vitoria's team finished the tournament without a win and suffered the same fate as it suffered in the 2021 final, when it qualified for the 2021 final. Penalty shootout against Senegal.

An unmarked Hegazy scored an early first-half chance from seven yards out and substitute Mahmoud Hamada lost his footing from a great chance late in normal time, but the Panthers were deserved winners and would have taken the lead sooner had the lively Elia not volleyed over. The effort ended in the third minute.

The penalty shootout saw both teams miss their second attempt, with Mohamed shooting wide of the right post, and Arthur Masuaku immediately shooting the ball over the crossbar for the Central Africans.

But Mbasi maintained his composure to slot home into the top right corner ahead of Gabaski, who was a specialist penalty saver during Egypt's run to the final in Cameroon two years ago.

DR Congo will play Guinea in the quarter-finals at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Abidjan on Friday (20:00 GMT) after the Cele national match. It beat Equatorial Guinea 1-0 Earlier on Sunday.

Egypt exits the African Cup of Nations on penalties again

If a knockout stage meeting between two teams who had drawn all three of their group stage matches was rare, it was no surprise when the match ended in a scoreless draw after 90 minutes.

The move that broke the deadlock eight minutes before half-time began with quick thinking from Masuaku, as Wessa fired down the left with a throw-in that allowed the Brentford striker to get into the box and send a cross that was deflected into the box. Elijah's path to head to the line.

Egypt was missing one of the top stars in the finals, Emam Ashour, due to a concussion, while goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shenawy, who suffered a dislocated shoulder during the last match in the group stage, was replaced by Gabaski.

The North Africans may have been missing Salah in attack, but Mohamed proved his reliability once again from the penalty spot to equalize his fourth goal of the finals.

Hegazi fell into a pile of water after a mid-air challenge by Batubinsika, prompting South African referee Abugail Thom to book the troubled centre-back for a stray arm after a VAR review and check on his pitch-side monitor.

Chances were few and far between in the second half, but Cédric Bakambu got ahead of Hegazi to meet Elia's cross after the winger escaped down the right, shooting the ball wide from the first time.

Chancel Mbemba headed Masuaku's cross over, and the Panthers needed Mbasi to respond intelligently when Hamdi Fatah's smart pass allowed Zizou to unleash a powerful shot from a tight angle.

But Hamada had the goal to strike when Zizou put him at the far post shortly after his late introduction, but lost his footing when the cross was dribbled behind him into clearing for his markers.

As the penalty shootout approached, Egypt had to put in more defensive efforts after Hamdy was sent off for a foul that left Panza hurting his ankle.

West Brom midfielder Grady Diangana failed to connect with the ball, as the ball bounced confusingly across the Egyptian six-yard box, before a final in which the more established contenders seemed understandably content to play for time rather than attack with intent.

Mbasi appeared to be studying useful images of Egypt's potential penalty attempts as the teams gathered ahead of the final, but Gabaski may have reminded himself of the four penalties he saved across the three he saved in the 2021 finals, as well as Sadio Mane's spot-kicks. First half effort in the final.

In fact, the player of the match on that occasion could only rattle the crossbar when he was called upon to take one himself this time, as a result of a series of finishing touches that did not give either goalkeeper many chances to become a hero.