The Egyptian team advanced to the quarterfinals of the African Championship after a 4: 5 victory on penalties on the Ivory Coast (0: 0 at the end of 120 minutes).
Muhammad Salah was the one who scored the decisive penalty that arranged for Egypt a place among the last eight of the continent and sent the Ivory Coast home despite an impressive home stage.
The expectation from this meeting - the 11th between the teams in the continental championship - was great.
Two of the Champions League's four goalscorers this season, Sebastian Haller from Ajax and Muhammad Salah from Liverpool, came on the sidelines, along with other representatives of senior European teams such as Nicolas Pepe, Frank Casilla, Eric Bay and Muhammad Alleni.
In the end, the ones who stole the show were actually the two goalkeepers who later became three: Badera Sangra from the Ivory Coast on one side and on the other Muhammad al-Shinawi who was replaced in the 88th minute due to injury and his replacement Muhammad Abu Gabal.
These three repelled everything that was kicked and slammed at them for 120 minutes and were responsible for the game being dragged to decisive kicks.
There, in the penalty shootout, only one of the goalkeepers is left.
Abu Gabal, 32, who until last night played only 64 minutes in the national uniform, deflected Arik Bai's penalty and gave Egypt the advantage which Salah later took advantage of.
Zamalek's goalkeeper received huge hugs at the end of the game, and now it remains to be seen whether he will continue to stand between the beams of the Egyptian team looking for an eighth win in the tournament and first since 2010.
Conan watches over Salah, tonight in Cameroon, Photo: Reuters
Air in front of Al Fotuh, tonight, Photo: Reuters
Egyptian goalkeeper celebrates, Photo: Reuters
Ivory Coast players during penalty shootout, Photo: Reuters
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