▁against ▁three ▁out ▁of ▁five ▁teams ▁at ▁the ▁first ▁round , ▁be ating ▁Brazil , ▁K uw ait ▁and ▁a ▁close ▁match ▁against ▁Bel arus . ▁▁ ▁Egypt ▁who ▁were ▁widely ▁expected ▁not ▁to ▁surv ive ▁the ▁knock out ▁stage , ▁beat ▁former ▁World ▁Champions ▁Roman ia ▁in ▁the ▁round ▁of ▁ 1 6 . ▁While ▁they ▁were ▁later ▁be aten ▁at ▁the ▁quarter final s ▁against ▁Cro atia , ▁the ▁team ▁was ▁highly ▁pra ised ▁back ▁home . ▁Hand ball ▁continued ▁to ▁grow ▁at ▁Egypt ▁and ▁a ▁rival ry ▁formed ▁between ▁Egypt ▁and ▁Tun is ia . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁Olympics ▁Egypt ▁had ▁their ▁best ▁performance ▁after ▁losing ▁the ▁ 5 th ▁place ▁match . ▁ ▁Egypt ▁advanced ▁to ▁the ▁quarter final s ▁every ▁time ▁between ▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 1 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁when ▁it ▁was ▁hosted ▁in ▁Egypt , ▁they ▁failed ▁to ▁pass ▁to ▁the ▁semi - final s ▁after ▁a ▁loss ▁against ▁Russia . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁I H F ▁World ▁Championship , ▁Egypt ▁beat ▁Mor oc co , ▁Portugal ▁and ▁I cel and , ▁drew ▁with ▁Czech ia ▁and ▁lost ▁to ▁Sweden . ▁At ▁the ▁knock out ▁stage , ▁Egypt ▁beat ▁fellow ▁Afr icans , ▁Al ger ia . ▁At ▁the ▁quarter final , ▁where ▁Egypt ▁has ▁been ▁knock ed ▁out ▁three ▁times ▁prior , ▁Egypt ▁was ▁against ▁Russia ▁again . ▁Egypt ▁were ▁able ▁to ▁have ▁their