Subbing out Bich, who made the match winning save, Popovich misread the penalty script from four years ago.

In the 94th minute of stoppage time, Beech leaped to tip Rabia's certain header over the crossbar. After 120 minutes, he sat on the substitutes' bench wrapped in his coat, watching his replacement have the net breached four times by the Egyptians. The penalty shootout ended 4-2. The Pharaohs trampled over the Australians to advance to the Round of 16.

In the 13th minute, Imam Ashour met Hafez's cross and headed the ball into the net. Australia labored for 42 minutes, leveling the score thanks to an own goal gifted by an opposing defender. In the 55th minute, Mohamed Hani headed the ball into his own net while defending a cross.

Mohamed Hani, the own-goal specialist of this World Cup. In the 66th minute of the group stage match against Belgium, he had already done the same thing. Since detailed technical statistics began in the 1966 World Cup, he is the first player to score two own goals in a single tournament. His teammates rushed over to rub his head. But this goal wasn't created by Australia at all; it was the Egyptians who put it into their own net.

In the 94th minute, Rabia leaped high in the penalty area and directed a close-range header towards the top corner. Beech flew to palm the ball away.

A goalkeeper benched by the coach, thrust into action to save a certain goal, single-handedly dragged his team into a penalty shootout.

Then, Popovic substituted him.

Before the penalty shootout, the fourth official held up the substitution board: Matthew Ryan on, Beech off. Popovic was gambling. Gambling on Ryan's career record of 12 penalty saves. Four years ago in Qatar, former coach Arnold substituted Redmayne for Ryan before the playoff penalty shootout, saving a crucial penalty, and the Socceroos advanced. That was a textbook goalkeeper rotation. Today, Popovic tried to copy the homework but got the script backwards—the Ryan who was substituted back then was now brought on to save the day.

Football doesn't recognize Excel, nor does it recognize clinging to outdated methods.

The Egyptians stepped up to the spot: Sabel, Rabia, Salah, Abdelmajid. Four shots, four goals. Ryan didn't even touch the ball. For Australia, Soota sent his kick into the stands, and Herington's shot hit the crossbar. Two misses out of two. 4-2, game over.

Salah stepped up third. Six days ago against Iran, he went off in the 60th minute clutching his hamstring. The Egyptian FA's statement read "back muscle strain." Whether he could play was a major question until he returned to training the day before the match.

Step back, run-up, pause. He chipped the ball with his toe down the middle. A Panenka. The ball floated gently over the sprawling Ryan and rolled into the net.

"I decided last minute," Salah told the BBC after the match. A decision made at the very last moment. A star player with a hamstring injury, having trained for less than 48 hours, stepped up to take a Panenka in a knockout penalty shootout. Salah entrusted his fate to his right foot.

Egypt's 59-year-old coach Hassan didn't celebrate much after the match. 69 goals, 177 caps, the national team's all-time top scorer, and now another accolade: the first Egyptian coach to lead a team to a World Cup knockout victory. His pre-match words, "We will not fear anyone," rang heavy.

Pharaoh hats were raised high in the stands. In 1934, Egypt became the first team from Africa and the Arab world to step onto the World Cup stage, losing 4-2 to Hungary in the first round. In the 92 years since, they had zero knockout wins. In June 2026, within thirteen days: a 3-1 win over New Zealand for their first-ever victory, group stage advancement for a record, and a penalty shootout win over Australia for their first knockout victory. Three achievements, accomplished in one go.

July 7th, Atlanta, Round of 16. The opponent will be Cape Verde, or Argentina.

As for Popovic, it's time to buy a ticket home. On the football pitch, no one remembers the calculations of the loser.