Belgium Held by Egypt in FIFA World Cup 2026 Opener as Lukaku Inspires Comeback
Belgium had to dig deep to secure a point through a 1-1 draw in their FIFA World Cup 2026 Group G encounter against Egypt at the Seattle Stadium.
Egypt were disciplined and spirited display to hold their fancied European opponents and dash their hopes of seizing control of the group from the first round of group matches.
The Pharaohs took the lead in the 20th minute when midfielder Emam Ashour's blazing low strike from outside the penalty box beat a diving Thibaut Courtois.
Belgium dominated possession from the opening stages, with Kevin De Bruyne orchestrating attacks from midfield and Jeremy Doku repeatedly threatening down the flanks. However, Egypt remained compact and dangerous on the counterattack.
Belgium increased the pressure after the interval but it was not before manager Rudi Garcia fielding Romelu Lukaku in the 66th minute that they broke Egypt's resolve.
23 seconds after coming in, Lukaku snuck in between two central defenders, applying immense pressure to a low cross that forced defender Mohamed Hany to bundle the ball into his own net.
The Red Devils then pushed for the winning goal, but Egypt goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy blocked everything ehile Belgium too squandered late chances.
"We controlled large parts of the game, but we lacked efficiency in front of goal. Egypt defended very well and punished us when we lost concentration," Garcia said after the match.
Belgium captain Kevin De Bruyne said his side needed to improve quickly.
"We have quality, but World Cup matches are never easy. Every team is organised and if you don't take your chances, you can drop points. We have to respond in the next game."
Egypt coach Hossam Hassan and star striker Mohamed Salah praised the players' commitment.
"The players executed the plan brilliantly. We respected Belgium, but we were never afraid of them. This point can become very important later in the group stage," Hassan said.
"We showed our personality today. We know Belgium are a top team, but we believed we could compete and everyone worked incredibly hard," Salah said.
Belgium take on Iran next while while Egypt face New Zealand in fixtures that could decide the race for a place in the knockout rounds.
Emam Ashour earns the Superior Player of the Match trophy. 👑#FIFAWorldCup #SuperiorPOTM pic.twitter.com/mE913EFno9
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) June 15, 2026
Player of the Match:Emam Ashour (Egypt)
