Mohamed Salah after Panenka penalty, “it had to be me¨
Mohamed Salah and Egypt are on to the next round of the World Cup after a dramatic penalty shootout and his Panenka penalty helped push his side through.
Egypt are on a record setting run in the World Cup after their knockout stage win over Australia. The round of 32 match went to penalties and Mohamed Salah slotted his spot kick home in the classiest of ways.
Egypt on to next round
It was an even match throughout with the Pharaohs taking a goal advantage in the 13th minute with a strike from Emam Ashour. Mohamed Hany leveled the score in the 55th minute with an own goal that sent the match into extra time. With no winner coming in the extra 30 minutes, the match went to penalties and it was Egypt who came out on top.
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Mo Salah converts Egypt’s third penalty! pic.twitter.com/PvSccnYNED
After the match, Egypt’s prince, Mohamed Salah stopped by the mixed zone with tears in his eyes, knowing that he and his team made history in what will probably be his final World Cup. “I told my teammates to stay focused because the game was in our hands,” Salah said in the post match interview. “We are making history at this World Cup,” he added.
The former Liverpool man took the third penalty for his side, after Harry Souttar missed the opening penalty for Australia. He stepped to the spot, and chipped it right down the middle Panenka style, fooling the keeper and putting his team in position to win the shootout.
Moving through in style
The Aussie teenager, Lucas Herrington, missed the next penalty for Australia and Hossam Abdelmaguid tucked home the winner to send the Pharaohs on to the round of the 16, and solidify the historic win for Egypt.
When asked about the decision to take the risky penalty, Salah said with a cheeky smile, “If anyone was going to score a Panenka, it had to be me.” He continued saying, ”It was my decision to take a Panenka. I asked myself, ‘If this is my last World Cup, I want to be the player who scores a Panenka.´”
It is just the fourth time that Egypt have made the World Cup. In the three editions before this summer’s tournament, they had never won a game. This year they beat New Zealand to help them push them through to the knockout round and now they are moving on to the Round of 16.
Salah and Egypt will celebrate tonight, but know the job is far from done. This moment of ecstasy will be short lived, knowing that they will face the winner of the Argentina and Cabo Verde match in the round of 16.
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