Egypt secure semi-final place in Paris with shoot-out victory over Paraguay

Ibrahim Adel was Egypt’s saviour in a tense Olympic Games quarter-final with Paraguay in boiling Marseille as he struck a late equaliser for his side in normal time before converting the winner in a penalty shoot-out.

Paraguay had shipped seven goals in the group stage, but produced an uncompromising defensive display against Rogerio Micale’s team and struck a fine opener on 71 minutes when Diego Gómez smashed a fine finish low into the net.

They seemed destined to secure progress to the last four until Adel popped up on 88 minutes for the Pharaohs when he emerged unmarked to head home from Zizi’s pinpoint cross.

Extra-time was a non-event amid tiring limbs and minds, but Egypt had the final say as Marcelo Pérez – the only player who failed to convert from the spot – saw his penalty brilliantly saved by Hamza Alaa before Adel converted the winning kick to give his side a 5-4 shoot-out victory.

Scenes of jubilation greeted Adel from his country’s fans with Egypt progressing to a last-four meeting with hosts France in Lyon on Monday evening.

Morocco meet Spain in the other men’s semi-final in Marseille on Monday.

Talking Point: Extra-time can be a waste of time

It became pretty evident to anyone watching this frazzled contest that extra-time was a waste of time such was the energy expended by both sides with over 15 minutes added to the 90 minutes in some serious heat and humidity.

It would have been better to cut straight to the penalties at the end of 90 for the sake of two teams who poured everything into the evening. More pressing for unbeaten Egypt, is how they will recover before the semi-finals on Monday evening? Such a quick turnaround is certainly of no benefit to their gold medal prospects.

Player of the Match: Ibrahim Adel (Egypt)

Cometh the hour, cometh the young wingman. Put simply, Egypt would no longer be in this tournament, their first Olympic semi-finals in 60 years, if not for the coolness and composure of winger Adel, whose headed finish late on was only matched by his winning penalty in the shoot-out from an often taut and turgid battle in the heat.

Player Ratings

Egypt: Hamza Alaa 8, Ahmed Eid 7, Abdel-Meguid 7, Omar Fayed 7, Ahmed Nabil 7, Mohamed Elneny 7, Mahmoud 7, Mohamed Shehata 7, Zizo 7, Ibrahim Adel 8, Osama Faisal 7 Subs: Mostafa Saad 7, Ahmed Atef 6, Bilal Mazhar 6, Karim El Debes 6

Paraguay: Gatito Fernandez 7, Alan Nunez 6, Ronaldo de Jesus 6, Daniel Rivas 6, Marcos Gomez 7, Diego Gomez 7, Wilder Viera 6, Alexis Cantero 7, Fabian Balbuena 6, Julio Enciso 7, Marcelo Perez 7 Subs: Ángel Cardozo 6, Gilberto Flores 6

Match Highlights

30′ GOLDEN CHANCE FOR EGYPT First real chance of the night falls to Egypt, but the finish by Mahmoud Saber is blocked by the shoulder of Gatito Fernández and the balls flies over the bar from the pass by Faisal, who needs a spot of treatment.

48′ ALMOST A DREAM START FOR EGYPT Zizo with a deflected cross for Ibrahim Adel, but it just eludes the Egypt player at the back post five yards or so out. Fabián Balbuena with a vital touch on the ball otherwise that was the opening goal right there.

71′ GOAL! (GOMEZ) PARAGUAY 1-0 EGYPT And there is the opening goal. Captain Diego Gómez races onto the ball from Julio Enciso to smash the finish low and hard into the net. Terrific finish. Wow. A 1-0 lead for the South American side.

87′ GOAL! PARAGUAY 1-1 EGYPT (ADEL) Would you believe it! A goal in the dying moments of normal time as Adel tracks the cross by Zizo to nod into the net from four yards out. Couldn’t miss. And this quarter-final is 1-1. Brilliant delivery.

PARAGUAY 4-5 EGYPT Fabián Balbuena has to score and does the business. Adel with chance to win it for Egypt. He tucks it under Fernandes to the keeper’s right. Just got there and Egypt win the penalty shootout 5-4 after a 1-1 draw. Phew! What a night. They will face France or Argentina in the last four.

Key Stat

Egypt have reached their first semi-finals of the Olympic Games since 1964.

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