Egypt midfielder Emam Ashour praised the country's travelling supporters after the Pharaohs beat Australia in the Round of 32 at the 2026 World Cup on Friday, saying their backing made the team feel as though they were playing at home.

Ashour opened the scoring as Egypt reached the Round of 16 for the first time in their history, beating Australia 4-2 in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw following extra time.

"We did our best to win the game. I thank all the supporters and the technical staff," Ashour told a television programme after the match.

"It felt like we were playing in Egypt because our supporters filled the stadium," he added.

After 120 minutes failed to separate the sides, Egypt converted all four of their penalties through Mahmoud Saber, Ramy Rabia, Mohamed Salah and Hossam Abdelmaguid to seal victory.

Egypt will face the winners of the Round of 32 tie between Argentina and Cape Verde for a place in the quarter-finals.

"We promise to do our best to make our supporters happy. We are looking forward to their support again in the next match," Ashour said.

The 28-year-old has scored two goals in four appearances at the 2026 World Cup.

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