The small coffeehouse in Cairo became a miniature stadium on Tuesday as hundreds of fans, mostly men and boys, some as young as 7, packed the venue and gathered around wall-mounted televisions awaiting kickoff.
The same scene unfolded across football-obsessed Egypt as the Pharaohs took on defending World Cup champion Argentina in a Round of 16 match in Atlanta.
Although Egypt's remarkable run ended with a heartbreaking 3-2 defeat to Argentina, the day marked a historic milestone for millions of Egyptians who watched their national team reach the World Cup knockout stage for the first time.
"It's a brutal way to go out," teacher Ahmed Saadany said after the match. "The journey shouldn't have ended like that."
Led by star forward Mohamed Salah, Egypt booked its place in the Round of 16 after defeating Australia 4-2 in a penalty shootout following a 1-1 draw in the Round of 32 on Friday.
