Connor Metcalfe, one of three current Socceroos who faced Egypt at the Tokyo Olympics, recalls a painful defeat that ended Australia's medal hopes. Now, the two nations meet again in the World Cup last 32 in Dallas, with revenge on the players' minds.
Olympic Heartbreak Fuels Motivation
Metcalfe, along with Harry Souttar and Cammy Devlin, played in the Olyroos' 2-0 loss to Egypt at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. A draw would have seen Australia progress from the group stage, but the defeat dashed their medal aspirations. 'They ruined our dream,' Metcalfe said, recalling the match. 'It actually feels like a blur ... They were quite a big physical team, I just remember it being really humid and hot, we didn't play our best game.'
The senior teams rarely meet, with Egypt winning 3-0 in Cairo in 2010. Metcalfe admitted the Olympic experience adds extra motivation: 'I guess you could say it's a bit of revenge.'
Focus on Egypt's Threats
Much pre-match speculation has centered on Egypt forward Mohamed Salah, who came off against Iran with a hamstring issue. However, the Socceroos are not solely focusing on Salah. Egypt also boasts Manchester City's Omar Marmoush and 18-year-old Hamza Abdelkarim of Barcelona B.
'At the moment, we haven't really discussed Egypt that much, we just try to refresh the body, refresh the mind, and then tomorrow onwards we'll start to really get ready for it,' Metcalfe said.
Defender Lucas Herrington noted the team's depth: 'Salah and Marmoush are the two names that most people remember and most people mention, but I think we've just got to be ready for everyone. They're a top team and we're all looking forward to the occasion and it's another chance to make history.'
History of Heartbreak in Knockout Stages
The Socceroos have never won a World Cup knockout match. In 2006, Italy scored a late penalty to win 1-0 in the round of 16, and in 2022, Argentina held on for a 2-1 victory. Metcalfe believes this time is different: 'We've come so far, I don't think anyone expected us to even get out of the group, so we're all buzzing just to have this amazing achievement and be able to be in this knockout stage.'
Metcalfe has been instrumental for Australia during this World Cup after a season with limited minutes at Bundesliga side St Pauli. He described the tournament as a 'release' from frustration: 'Just being able to let it out on the pitch and enjoy the moment and not really being nervous and just get on with it ... I think it's really helped me to be honest because there's a lot of inner anger from the season.'
Preparations and Family Time
The seven-day break between the final group match and the last 32 fixture allowed players more time with family in the San Francisco Bay Area before flying to Dallas on Wednesday. 'It's nice to know that we get to stay here longer,' Metcalfe said. 'We also know that it could end very quickly, but we're just trying to enjoy every day together.'
