Egypt’s head coach, Hossam Hassan, proudly displayed the Palestinian flag following his team’s first knockout win at the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32, which they secured against Australia. This victory propelled Egypt into the last 16, marking them as only the second African nation to triumph in a World Cup penalty shoot-out, with Morocco being the first in 2022 and 2026.
After the intense match where Egypt emerged victorious against Australia in a penalty shootout, Hassan took to the field carrying both the Egyptian and Palestinian flags, celebrating with fans who chanted “Free Palestine.” Hassan expressed his dedication of the win to both the Egyptian and Palestinian people, emphasizing his support and solidarity.
In a thrilling game that saw Egypt take an early lead through Emam Ashour, the match was pushed to penalties after Mohamed Hany’s own goal in the second half. Despite missed opportunities by Australia, Egypt’s unbeaten streak under Hossam Hassan continued, setting up a Round of 16 clash against Argentina on July 8 in Atlanta.
Egypt’s path to victory was almost sealed during normal time, with a remarkable save by Australia’s goalkeeper denying Rami Rabia’s header. Mohamed Salah, amidst concerns over a hamstring issue, played a crucial role in setting up chances, including assisting Haissem Hassan, who was thwarted by a resilient Australian defense.
Australia attempted a goalkeeper substitution in the final moments of extra time, but Egypt remained composed, converting all their penalty kicks to secure the win, including a confident Panenka effort by Salah.
