CAIRO, Egypt — For Karim Ramadan, watching from a buzzing Cairo cafe before sunrise, the moment felt almost unreal as Egypt progressed from the group stage of a World Cup for the first time in its history on Saturday.

“It was a dream,” Ramadan told AFP from a cafe in Cairo’s popular Shubra neighbourhood, where he arrived at 6 a.m. to secure a seat among hundreds of other fans.

“It’s an incredible feeling we’ve dreamed of for years,” he told AFP.

Egypt already knew before kick-off that results elsewhere had secured their place in the last 32, but that did little to dampen the intensity of a ferocious match in Seattle or the determination of fans eager to watch their team finish strongly.

The Pharaohs’ dramatic 1–1 draw against Iran saw them finish runners-up in their group, level on points with Belgium but behind on goal difference.

In Shubra, the fifth-minute goal shattered the early morning calm.

AFP footage showed fans springing to their feet as rows of chairs packed tightly around a glowing screen spilled out into the street, where supporters cheered and clapped through drifting clouds of shisha smoke.

Iran later drew level after missing an earlier penalty, before the drama arrived deep into stoppage time when they appeared to score a decisive second........

© The Times of Israel