DR Congo pulled off a stunning victory to secure a spot in the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals, defeating Egypt 8-7 on penalties, with goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi emerging as the hero with a winning goal.
The intense match concluded with a 1-1 draw after 120 minutes of play, leading to a nerve-wracking penalty shootout where both teams displayed remarkable composure.
DR Congo's Meschack Elia opened the scoring in the 37th minute, but Egypt's Mostafa Mohamed leveled from the penalty spot just before halftime.
The game took a dramatic turn as Egypt's Mohamed Hamdy received a red card in extra time, reducing his team to 10 men. The match proceeded to a penalty shootout, maintaining the heightened tension.
DR Congo defeat Egypt in AFCON round 16
In the shootout, Egypt's Mohamed, a scorer in regular time, missed his penalty, as did DR Congo's Arthur Masuaku.
The deadlock persisted at 7-7 after eight penalties each, leading to a showdown between the goalkeepers.
Egypt's goalkeeper Mohamed Abou Gabal, also known as Gabaski, took his team's ninth penalty but hit the crossbar. This misfortune provided DR Congo with an opportunity to claim victory.
Mpasi, the goalkeeper for DR Congo, stepped up confidently and converted his penalty, securing his team's place in the quarter-finals.
DR Congo's triumph is particularly remarkable considering they did not secure a single victory in the tournament's group stage. Their next challenge will be against Guinea in the quarter-finals on Friday, February 2, as they aim to continue their surprising run in the competition.
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