Australia vs Egypt: World Cup Round of 32 preview and picks
Australia and Egypt face off Friday in the World Cup Round of 32 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, with kickoff at 2 p.m. ET. The Egypt Australia clash pits two group runners-up chasing a first knockout win in generations—and most previews lean toward a tight, low-scoring affair favoring the unbeaten Pharaohs.
Key Takeaways
- Australia and Egypt meet for only the third time ever, with the winner facing Argentina or Cabo Verde in the Round of 16.
- Egypt enter as marginal favorites after an unbeaten group run; Sports Illustrated predicts a 0–1 Egypt win.
- Mohamed Salah's hamstring is the biggest subplot, though Egypt hope the Liverpool star will recover in time.
- Australia are without Jacob Italiano and Mathew Leckie but otherwise field a settled 3-4-2-1 led by Nestory Irankunda.
- FanDuel lists Egypt at +150, Australia at +230, with expert Jon Eimer leaning Over 1.5 goals on SportsLine.
Why does this Egypt Australia knockout tie matter?
Friday's World Cup action opens with Australia vs. Egypt in the Round of 32 at AT&T Stadium. While not the tournament's most glamorous tie, it is a competitive contest between nations with limited knockout experience. Australia has only gone beyond the group stage twice before, while Egypt's last knockout appearance was the 1934 tournament.
Both sides finished runners-up in their groups and will be desperate to set up a Round of 16 tie with either reigning champions Argentina or surprise overperformer Cabo Verde. The Socceroos took four points from their group campaign, only succumbing to co-host United States, while Egypt remains unbeaten after beating New Zealand 3–1 and drawing with Belgium and Iran.
As The Guardian notes, an Australian knockout victory feels closer than it has ever been—though coach Tony Popovic warned his players not to get caught up by the occasion. "The history gets made after the game," he said.
Who is missing for Australia and Egypt?
Full back Jacob Italiano and forward Mathew Leckie are both unavailable for the Socceroos, but Popovic otherwise has his full complement ready. He may resist changes from the side that drew 0–0 with Paraguay, with Nestory Irankunda carrying the creative burden up front and goalkeeper Patrick Beach expected to reach top form.
Egypt are sweating over Mohamed Salah's fitness after the hamstring issue sustained against Iran, though there is hope the talisman will recover in time. Hamdy Fathy, Mohamed Abdelmonem, Hossam Abdelmaguid and Ahmed Fatouh are also doubts, with Fatouh almost certainly absent due to a hamstring tear. Yasser Ibrahim is most likely to replace Abdelmonem at center back, while Karim Hafez should step in for Fatouh at left back.
What are the predicted lineups?
Australia (3-4-2-1): Beach; Circati, Souttar, Herrington; Bos, Irvine, O'Neill, Behich; Volpato, Metcalfe; Irankunda.
Egypt (4-2-3-1): Shobeir; Hany, Rabia, Ibrahim, Hafez; Attia, Saber; Ziko, Salah, Trézéguet; Marmoush.
Referee Gustavo Tejera of Uruguay will officiate the 2 p.m. ET kickoff (7 p.m. BST). For more offbeat World Cup angles, browse our Bizarre World coverage.
How do experts see Egypt Australia ending?
There does not appear to be much separating the sides on paper, but Egypt are considered marginal favorites. Hossam Hassan's side came through the group unbeaten and has the defensive knowhow to grind out knockout results, relying on counter-attacking threats Salah and Omar Marmoush. Australia scored just twice in three group games and twice blanked against stubborn defenses.
Sports Illustrated predicts Australia 0–1 Egypt, citing Egypt's watertight back line—they kept six clean sheets in their last 13 matches—and Australia's own resolute defensive record, which included two group-stage shutouts. On SportsLine, FanDuel lists Egypt at +150 on the 90-minute money line, Australia at +230, and the draw at +190, with the over/under set at 1.5 goals. Expert Jon Eimer, on a 25–15–2 World Cup picks run, leans Over on total goals.