In a thrilling encounter at the 2023 TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations finals in Cote d'Ivoire, Egypt and DR Congo battled to a draw, forcing the match into a penalty shootout. The two sides, known for their draw-heavy group stage performances, couldn't be separated in regulation time or extra 30 minutes. Congo initially took the lead in the 37th minute through Meschack Elia's close-range header, capitalizing on Arthur Masuaku's quick throw-in. Despite protests from Egypt's players and technical bench, VAR couldn't interfere, giving Congo a contested lead against the run of play. Egypt responded swiftly, equalizing in additional time of the first half from the spot. VAR awarded them a penalty for an elbow on Ahmed Hegazy in the 43rd minute, which Mostafa Mohamed expertly converted into the top corner. The first half ended with a 1-1 tie. The second half saw a closely contested and physically intense battle with fewer clear-cut chances. Despite Congo's improved performance, having been outplayed in the first half by the seven-time AFCON record winners, the match remained deadlocked at 90 minutes. As the game entered extra time, Egypt's hopes of securing a win were hampered by a 97th-minute red card to substitute Mohamed Hamdi for a reckless challenge. Despite the numerical advantage, Congo couldn't capitalize, and the match headed to a dramatic penalty shootout. Both teams scored seven penalties each but missed one. Mostafa Mohamed and Arthur Masuaku failed to convert their attempts. The decisive moment came when Congolese goalkeeper Lionel M'Pasi scored the winning penalty, while Egypt's keeper Mohamed Abou Gabal hit the upright, resulting in Congo's 8-7 victory on penalties. With this win, DR Congo advances to the quarterfinals to face Guinea. The Congolese team, seeking their third title, last clinched the AFCON trophy in 1974 when they were still known as Zaire.