Mohamed Hamdi, a player for the Egyptian national team, received a red card in the match against the Democratic Republic of Congo on Sunday.
The encounter took place in the Round of 16 of the Africa Cup of Nations, currently being held in Ivory Coast since January 13 and set to conclude on February 11.
Hamdi’s expulsion marks the first instance of a player from the Egyptian national team receiving a red card in the Africa Cup of Nations in 26 years.
The last occurrence was when Medhat Abdelhady was sent off against Morocco.
The Egyptian starting lineup against Congo included Mohamed Abu Jabal in goal, with Ahmed Fatouh, Ahmed Hegazi, Mohamed Abdel-Moneim, and Mohamed Hany in defense.
The midfield comprised Mohamed El Nenny, Hamdy Fathi, and Marwan Attia, while the attacking trio featured Trezeguet, Ahmed Sied Zizo, and Mostafa Mohamed.
On the substitutes’ bench were Mohamed Sabry, Ahmed El Shenawy, Omar Kamal, Yasser Ibrahim, Ali Gabr, Mohamed Hamdy, Mohannad Lashin, Mahmoud Hamada, Mahmoud Kahraba, Mostafa Fathi, Omar Marmoush, and Ahmed Hassan Koka.
Ahmed Samy, alongside the injured trio Salah, Ashour, and El Shenawy, was excluded.
Egypt secured a place in the second round of the Africa Cup of Nations after a 2-2 draw against Cape Verde in the third round of the group stage.
Meanwhile, Congo advanced as the runner-up in Group Six, trailing behind Morocco, setting up a clash with the Pharaohs in the knockout stage.
As the group stage concluded, Egypt accumulated three points, securing the second position behind group leaders Cape Verde with seven points.
Mostafa Mohamed continued his goal-scoring form, notching his third goal in the tournament.
The historical encounters between Egypt and Congo span 12 matches across various tournaments, with Egypt winning eight, losing one, and drawing three.
Mostafa Mohamed’s goal has kept him in contention for the tournament’s top scorer.
The quarter-finals await Egypt, where they will face Guinea on February 2, aiming to secure a spot in the Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals.
The final, scheduled for February 11, will see the potential finalists determined after the matchups between Nigeria and Cameroon, Angola and Namibia, Cape Verde and Mauritania, and Morocco and South Africa.
