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With outfield players almost exhausted after 16 shots from the spot, Egypt goalkeeper Mohamed Abou Gabal stepped up to take one for his team, but blasted it against the crossbar to give Congo the advantage after both sides had missed one apiec to that point.

Mpasi stepped up and after a cheeky smile, sent his counterpart the wrong way to seal a passage through to the last eight for his nation.

The two sides couldn't be separated after 90 minutes or extra-time, the score locked at 1-1 after Meschack Elia had given DR Congo the lead before Mostafa Mohamed scored his fourth goal of the tournament from the penalty spot on the stroke of half-time to level it for the Pharoahs.

With injured talisman Mo Salah absent, Egypt was hoping to give him a reason to return, but was up against it when midfielder Mohamed Hamdy received a second yellow card and subsequent dismissal in extra-time for a clumsy challenge.

With the tie still deadlocked after 120 minutes, Mostafa Mohamed was the first to miss in the shootout, sending his effort wide of the right post, but Arthur Masuaku could do no better in reply, firing a wild effort miles over the bar to keep the scores level.

From there it was perfection from both sides until Mohamed Abou Gabal decided to take a turn, and having clipped the crossbar for his miss, he had to stand up to Mpasi as he stepped up for DR Congo.

Mpasi coolly sent the ball to the right side of the goal as Mohamed Abou Gabal dived the wrong way, sparking pandemonium at Stade de San Pedro as the DR Congo celebrations exploded into life.

It was more heartache for the Pharaohs after all their knockout games at the 2021 tournament required additional time, culminating in a heart-breaking shootout defeat to Senegal in the final.

DR Congo will meet Guinea in the quarter-finals after it secured a 1-0 win over giant-killer Equatorial Guinea in the eighth minute of stoppage-time.