In what was a thrilling encounter, DR Congo produced another shock at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations by eliminating seven-time champions Egypt in the round of 16.
The match ended in a 1-1 draw after extra time, and DR Congo secured victory in a marathon penalty shootout, winning 8-7.
DR Congo took the lead with Meschack Elia’s header from Yoane Wissa’s cross. However, Egypt quickly responded with Mostafa Mohamed converting a penalty just before halftime after a foul on Ahmed Hegazi.
The game went into extra time, and Egypt finished with 10 players after Mohamed Hamdy received a second yellow card and was sent off for a mistimed challenge on Simon Banza.
In the penalty shootout that followed, both teams showed incredible composure, with a total of 18 kicks taken. The shootout drama continued until DR Congo’s goalkeeper, Lionel Mpasi, stepped up to score the winning kick. The final result was 8-7 in favor of DR Congo.
With this victory, DR Congo advances to the quarterfinals, where they will face Guinea. The match is scheduled to take place at Abidjan’s Alassane Ouattara Stadium on Friday, February 2, 2024.
The 2023 AFCON continues to deliver unexpected outcomes and exciting moments on the road to crowning a new champion.
