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Egyptian couple turns wedding into World Cup watch party as national team advances
via Egypt Today2 min read
In Egypt's Gharbiya governorate, a newly-married couple and their guests transformed their wedding reception into a World Cup watch party to see Egypt play Australia in Group 32 of the 2026 World Cup. On Friday evening, the wedding hall featured a giant screen where everyone watched the dramatic penalty shootout. Egypt secured a 4-2 victory on penalties, leading to an intensified celebration with the couple waving Egyptian flags and guests joining in the joy. This win marked Egypt's first-ever advancement to the FIFA World Cup Round of 16. The celebration extended beyond Dallas, where the match was played, reaching Egyptians globally and fans as far as Thailand. Egypt is now set to face defending champions Argentina in the Round of 16.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Egypt Today.
Must ReadReigning champions Argentina secured a dramatic 3-2 victory over Cape Verde in the World Cup, needing an extra-time own goal to advance to the last 16. Cape Verde, making their debut in the global finals, twice came from behind in a thrilling contest held in Miami. Lionel Messi opened the scoring for Argentina in the 29th minute, but Deroy Duarte equalized for Cape Verde just before the hour mark. In extra time, Lisandro Martinez put Argentina ahead, only for Sidny Lopes Cabral to level the score again for Cape Verde. The decisive goal came six minutes into the second period of extra time when a corner from Lionel Messi resulted in an own goal off Cape Verde's Diney Borges. Argentina's coach Lionel Scaloni praised Cape Verde's performance, acknowledging the difficulty of the match. Cape Verde's coach Bubista expressed pride in his team's effort against the world champions, highlighting their resilience and teamwork throughout their debut World Cup campaign.
Colombia secured a 1-0 victory over Ghana in Kansas City, advancing to the FIFA World Cup last 16. Jhon Arias scored the decisive goal in the 14th minute, assisted by substitute Luis Suarez. Colombia's disciplined defense maintained their lead, setting up a match against Switzerland in the next round. The team, coached by Nestor Lorenzo, has maintained an unbeaten run in the tournament, having topped Group K after going undefeated against Portugal, Uzbekistan, and DR Congo. The match saw a significant presence of Colombian supporters, creating a home-game atmosphere. Ghana's coach, Carlos Queiroz, acknowledged Colombia as the better team, stating they controlled the game more effectively. Colombia joins Paraguay, Brazil, and Argentina as South American teams in the last 16. The game also featured early substitutions due to injuries for both teams, with Jhon Cordoba of Colombia and Marvin Senaya of Ghana leaving the field before the 15-minute mark.
Must ReadEgypt secured a historic advancement to the World Cup last 16, defeating Australia 4-2 in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw. This marks Egypt's first success in a World Cup knockout game, a significant achievement given their previous World Cup history despite their dominance in the African Cup of Nations with seven titles. Mohamed Salah described the moment as pivotal for the country. Both teams adopted a cautious approach during the match, though goalscoring opportunities arose. Egypt's strategy relied heavily on defense, sometimes leaving too many players at the back. Full-back Mohamed Hany scored a second own goal in the tournament, highlighting a vulnerability in set pieces. Mohamed Salah, despite a hamstring concern, played the full 120 minutes, and his full fitness will be crucial for Egypt's continued progress in the tournament. This achievement is celebrated as a new height for Egyptian football.