Egypt’s AFCON Dreams Dashed Despite Pre-Tournament Rituals.
Record seven-time AFCON champions Egypt, despite sacrificing a cow in a bid to bring them luck at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament, have been knocked out of the tournament after losing 8-7 in a penalty shoot-out to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in last-16 match on Sunday.
Egypt’s team spokesman, Mohamed Morad, had told the Associated Press (AP) on Friday that the country’s Football Federation killed the cow and distributed the meat to needy people in Cairo, Egypt earlier on Thursday.
Goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi scored the decisive penalty for the Congolese, who will face Guinea in the quarterfinals while Mohamed Salah’s dreams of returning from injury to lift the trophy with Egypt have been dashed.
Egypt goalkeeper Mohamed Abou Gabal missed his penalty in the shootout as the Congo DR claimed an epic 8-7 victory following a tense 1-1 draw in their last-16 clash in San Pedro.
Abou Gabal clipped the crossbar with his effort and then opposite number Lionel Mpasi scored against him as record seven-times winners Egypt bowed out, sparking jubilant scenes for the Congolese, who now play Guinea in the quarterfinals in Abidjan on Friday.
Meschack Elia gave Congo DR the lead in the game when he headed in virtually on the goal-line, but the advantage lasted nine minutes before Mostafa Mohamed scored his fourth goal of the tournament from the penalty spot on the stroke of half-time.
Egypt midfielder Mohamed Hamdy received a red card in extra time, after which The Pharaohs, without injured talisman Mohamed Salah, stopped attacking and held on as the game went to a shootout.
The last time Congo DR beat Egypt in a Cup of Nations clash was in the semifinals 50 years ago when they went on to lift the trophy.
It was a fourth draw in a row for both sides in Cote d’Ivoire this year, while for Egypt, it was a sixth in a row dating back to the last tournament in Cameroon and a fifth extra-time in succession in knockout games.
