Egypt slump out of Afcon 2023 with shootout defeat to DR Congo as Nigeria flex muscles

Egypt's forgettable Africa Cup of Nations campaign came to an end on Sunday night after being eliminated in a penalty shootout by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, while Guinea and Nigeria both advanced to the quarter-finals.

One of the pre-tournament favourites to lift the trophy, Egypt left the Ivory Coast without a win in four games after captain and star player Mohamed Salah sustained an injury that saw him leave the squad early.

The Pharaohs' exit came in an 8-7 penalty shootout defeat to DR Congo after the tie ended 1-1 at the end of extra time.

Meschack Elia put DR Congo ahead in the coastal city of San-Pedro in the 37th minute, only for Mostafa Mohamed to equalise for Egypt from the penalty spot in first-half stoppage time.

With no further scoring, Egypt held on for a shootout after Mohamed Hamdy was sent off for a second booking in the first half of extra time.

They were involved in three shootouts in four knockout ties at the last Afcon in Cameroon two years ago, when they lost the final on penalties to Senegal.

Mohamed missed the target with the Pharaohs' second kick, but Arthur Masuaku then squandered the Leopards' next attempt.

Goalkeeper Mohamed Abou Gabal, better known simply as Gabaski, then put Egypt's ninth penalty over, and Congolese stopper Lionel Mpasi made no mistake to take DR Congo through to the quarter-finals.

It is a bitter pill to swallow for the Pharaohs, who had come to the Ivory Coast hoping to win a first Afcon title since 2010, a year before Salah made his senior international debut.

But they stumbled out of their group with three draws after losing the Liverpool superstar to a hamstring injury in their second game against Ghana.

He had gone back to his club to receive treatment, in