A highly eventful round of 16 ties between Enppi and Future FC in the Egypt Cup captivated fans as it extended well beyond the usual game duration, lasting a staggering three and a half hours. The match, held at Enppi’s Petro Sport Stadium, was filled with controversy and unexpected incidents, leaving spectators on the edge of their seats until the early hours of Monday morning.
Enppi and Future FC were at 0-0 in the round of 16 match at the former’s Petro Sport Stadium in the 57th minute when the ball deflected off the referee and dropped pleasantly for the visitors to grab the lead.
Seeking clarity, Qamar Al-Dawla was summoned to consult the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system. However, a technical failure caused a frustrating delay of approximately 17 minutes before the referee could deliver his verdict on the validity of the goal.
Amidst the confusion and mounting tensions, the Enppi players firmly believed that the referee’s intervention had obstructed a defender from reaching the ball. Fueled by their frustration, they stormed off the pitch, causing a temporary suspension of play for 25 minutes. Ultimately, the intervention of the club’s president persuaded the Enppi team to return to the field and resume the match.
Enppi managed to level the score by converting a penalty kick during the 20th minute of stoppage time, adding further suspense to an already protracted match. As there was no decisive winner after the full duration of play, the match was ultimately settled through a penalty shootout.
The match concluded at nearly 1 a.m on Monday morning with Enppi emerging triumphant, securing a hard-fought 6-5 victory from the penalty shootout. Enppi has advanced to the quarter-finals of the Egypt Cup with this result.
