Mohamed Salah, known as the "King of Egypt," has a historic opportunity on the line as Egypt faces Australia in a crucial World Cup match. The two teams will meet on July 4 at 3 a.m. KST at the Dallas Stadium in the United States. The winner will advance to the Round of 16 to face the victor of the Argentina-Cabo Verde match.
This match holds special significance for Salah, who has already made a mark in the group stage with one goal and two assists, helping Egypt secure its place in the knockout round. With a total of 68 international goals, he is just one goal shy of tying the record set by Hossam Hassan, the current head coach of the national team.
If Salah scores against Australia, he will equal the legendary record of his mentor and coach, Hassan.
However, Salah's fitness remains a concern. He requested a substitution during the group stage match against Iran due to a hamstring issue. Although he has returned to partial training and is expected to be available for the match against Australia, his starting status has not yet been confirmed.
Australia also has a record to chase. The team has never won a knockout stage match in the men's World Cup. In the 2006 World Cup, they were eliminated in the Round of 16 by Italy, and in the 2022 World Cup, they fell to Argentina, both of whom went on to win their respective tournaments.
This tournament features an expanded format with 48 teams, introducing the Round of 32, providing Australia with a chance to secure its first-ever victory in a World Cup knockout stage.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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