All posts tagged: Patrick Beach Mat Ryan gamble

Salah in tears as Egypt end 92-year wait, Australia’s gamble fails

Salah in tears as Egypt end 92-year wait, Australia’s gamble fails

At one end of the pitch, Mohamed Salah, who minutes earlier had sent Egypt through with a chipped Panenka down the middle, stood alone for a moment and applauded the crowd, tears in his eyes, before his teammates pulled him into a mob that would later place a Tutankhamun headdress on his head. At the other end, Lucas Herrington turned his back on the crossbar that had just denied him, put one arm to his curly hair, and bent over to hide his face. He is eighteen, already the youngest starter Australia have ever fielded at a World Cup, and will now be remembered for the kick that sent Egypt through instead. Both moments happened within the same ninety seconds, on the same patch of grass in Arlington, Texas. Egypt had just beaten Australia 4-2 on penalties to reach the World Cup last 16 for the first time in their history. Their only previous appearance this deep was in 1934, when the tournament had sixteen teams and they lost 4-2 to Hungary. Australia have their …