Silas' Congo DR knock Marmoush's Egypt out of AFCON
VfB Stuttgart attacker Silas and his Congolese Leopards are through to the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinals after prevailing over Omar Marmoush's Egypt in a wild penalty shootout late last night.
Marmoush joins North Africa Bundesliga colleagues Ellyes Skhiri, Aïssa Laïdouni, Fares Chaibi and Ramy Bensebaini in the cohort of top-tier German footballing professionals now eliminated from the tournament.
A wild nine-round penalty shootout in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations Round-of-16 last night concluded with big ramifications for two Bundesliga players representing their respective nations at the tournament. Both Eintracht Frankfurt's Omar Marmoush and VfB Stuttgart's Silas converted from the spot in a crazy finish to a knockout-round encounter that went deep into the night. In the end, Silas' Congolese Leopards prevailed over Marmoush's Egyptian Pharaohs to keep their dream of capturing the continental championship alive.
Marmoush joins North Africa Bundesliga colleagues Ellyes Skhiri, Aïssa Laïdouni, Fares Chaibi and Ramy Bensebaini in the cohort of top-tier German footballing professionals now eliminated from the tournament.
Marmoush took a seat on Egyptian trainer Rui Vitoria's bench after featuring in the starting XI during the last two group stage fixtures. Silas too dropped out of Sébastien Desabre's lineup following a tepid performance as a starter in Congo's 0-0 draw with Tanzania. Both Bundesliga representatives would not come on until the last few minutes of normal time in the second half. Marmoush entered in the 83rd minute while Silas came on in the 88th. When 120 minutes elapsed with the game still tied at 1-1, the two players both converted their penalties.
Marmoush slotted home in the third round of the shootout. Silas successfully took care of his turn in the fourth. The two nations traded goals in a very lively first half. The second 45 was significantly less smooth, marred by fouls, stoppages, and bookings. Egypt were reduced to ten-men in the 97th when Mohamed Hamdy was sent off on double-yellows. Silas managed to record an assisted shot during the short interval in which the Congolese enjoyed superior numbers. Marmoush was tied down in defensive work, making one crucial tackle.
The shoo-out went nine rounds when the initial five produced a 4-4 stalemate. Mostafa Mohamed and Arthur Masuaka each missed their turns in the second round. Egyptian Mohamed About Gabal struck the post when it came time to step up in the third of the "sudden death" rounds. Lionel Mpasi then ensured that his side would advance with a conversion that gave Congo DR an 8-7 PSO victory. Neither keeper saved a shot in the final phrase. All three misses went wide of the mark.
The North African record champions - finalists in the 2017 and 2021 tournaments - have now been eliminated in the Round-of-16 just as they were during their 2019 hosted-tournament. Marmoush returns to the Bundesrepublik alongside Eintracht Frankfurt colleagues Ellyes Skhiri and Fares Chaibi. Skhiri's Tunisians were taken out in the group stages, as were Chaibi's Algerian Fennecs. Silas advances alongside Stuttgart teammate Serhou Guirassy, who also moved onto the quarterfinals with Guinea yesterday.
Congo are back in the quarters for the first time since 2017. The Leopards have reached the semis twice (1998 and 2015) since the dissolution of Mobutu Sese Seko's Zaire in 1997. They captured the AFCON crown once under the Mobutu regime in 1974 and once as "Congo-Kinshasa" in 1968. The country failed to advance past the semis in both 1998 and 2015, yet finished as the third place team in both cases after winning the playoff.