The clash between Egypt and Australia in the Round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup revealed an intriguing tactical detail, as the Egyptian coaching staff analyzed video clips of previous penalties before the shootout that secured the "Pharaohs" a spot in the Round of 16.
Egypt managed to clinch the match after drawing with Australia 1-1 in regular and extra time, before triumphing in the shootout 4-2, continuing their journey in the tournament.
Before the penalties, cameras captured the Egyptian players and coaching staff reviewing footage on tablets, raising questions about the nature of this review.
This step came after the Australian coaching staff decided to bring in goalkeeper Matthew Ryan for the penalties instead of the starting keeper, aiming to leverage his experience in handling spot-kicks.
In preparation for this scenario, the Egyptian team reviewed previous recordings of Ryan during his time at Levante to study his habits in saving penalties, including his preferred directions, positioning on the goal line, and reactions during execution.
The footage reviewed also included a penalty taken by Kylian Mbappé while wearing a Real Madrid jersey.
This preparation provided the penalty takers with a clearer picture of the Australian goalkeeper's style, as the Egyptian players successfully converted all four of their penalties, while Australia missed two, securing the "Pharaohs" a place in the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup.
