In 2022 it worked like magic: Australia changed goalkeepers right before the penalties, Andrew Redmayne saved a decisive one and qualified the Socceroos for the Qatar World Cup. Tony Popovic decided to repeat the formula this July 3 in Dallas, taking out Patrick Beach to bring in Mathew Ryan, 34, minutes before extra time against Egypt ended.
But the Egyptian coaching staff did not come unprepared. With a laptop on the bench, they showed their players videos of Ryan, including a goal Mbappé scored against him while playing for Levante. Australia’s plan fell apart: Ryan did not save a single penalty, while Mohamed Salah and company converted theirs with surgical precision to win 4-2.
That way, Egypt qualified for the round of 16 of a World Cup for the first time in its history, where it now awaits Argentina. For Australia, the move that was once heroic this time became the chronicle of an elimination foretold.