Egypt secured a hard-fought place in the knockout stage, drawing 2-2 against Cape Verde, marking their third consecutive draw in the tournament.
Despite not securing a win, the Pharaohs find themselves in a position mirroring Portugal’s Euro 2016 campaign, keeping alive hopes of continental glory.
But what does this have to do with Ronaldo?
Egypt’s journey through the group stage saw them share points with Mozambique, Ghana, and Cape Verde, all concluding with a 2-2 scoreline.
The irony lies in their identical results, with no victories to their name.
Yet, Egypt’s prospects for clinching the continental title remain intact, drawing parallels with Portugal’s performance in Euro 2016.
During Euro 2016, Portugal also secured three draws against Iceland, Austria, and Hungary in the group stage, advancing as the third-placed team.
The resemblance between Portugal’s struggles then and Egypt’s current situation is striking.
In the round of 16, Portugal faced a similar situation, drawing with Croatia in regular time before securing a quarter-final spot with a decisive goal in extra time.
Their quarter-final clash against Poland continued the pattern of draws, leading to a penalty shootout victory.
Portugal’s first win came in the semi-finals against Wales, and they went on to clinch the title with a crucial 1-0 victory over France in the final.
The twist of fate continues as Portugal’s Euro 2016 campaign also witnessed an injury to their star player and captain, Cristiano Ronaldo, in the final.
This echoes the recent scenario with Egypt’s captain, Mohamed Salah, who suffered a muscular injury against Ghana, leading to his absence in the crucial match against Cape Verde.
As Egypt aims to break a 14-year AFCON title drought since their last triumph in 2010, the similarities with Portugal’s historic Euro 2016 journey add an intriguing layer of hope for the Pharaohs, casting Ronaldo’s shadow on their quest for glory.
