World Cup 2026
Belgium started the World Cup with a 1-1 draw against Egypt, where year-old star player Mohamed Salah (34) was relatively invisible. In Belgium, Kevin De Bruyne and substitute Romelu Lukaku missed opportunities to score a goal.
The match in Seattle was very entertaining, with the odds ratio of 15-14 (3-4) in favor of the Red Devils. Egypt took the lead after 20 minutes for Emam Ashour. After a pass from Salah, Belgian right back Thomas Meunier gave him too much time to shoot from the edge of the penalty area, after which Thibaut Courtois could no longer stop the hard shot.
The equalizer came in the 66th minute. It initially seemed that Romelu Lukaku tapped in after a cross from Meunier five seconds after coming on, but the replay showed that the ball was tapped into his own goal by Egyptian defender Mohamed Hany.
In the 87th minute, Lukaku had another great chance to make it 2-1, but after a good cross from substitute Nicolas Raskin, the Red Devils’ all-time top scorer (90 goals in 127 international matches) headed the ball over Egypt’s goal.
Kevin De Bruyne was brought in just before that big opportunity by Rudi Garcia, the French national coach of Belgium. The 34-year-old playmaker threatened with three shots, but had little luck. In the first half he shot just wide, in the second half he hit the post with a beautiful free kick.
De Bruyne and Lukaku have both had a disappointing season at Napoli, where they have not been able to play much due to injuries. De Bruyne played 21 matches (1,360 minutes) in his first season at the Italian top club after sustaining a hamstring injury during a penalty in October. Lukaku played only 63 minutes due to muscle injuries, spread over seven substitute appearances.
Egypt had participated in a World Cup three times before (1934, 1990 and 2018), but was still waiting for its first victory after seven games. Seattle’s hopes were pinned on forwards Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush. The fast Manchester City attacker had a good chance after a quick counter, but was hindered by a push from Nathan Ngoy when he shot. Salah was relatively invisible in his 117th international match on his 34th birthday. After nine seasons at Liverpool, it is not yet known where he will work after the World Cup.
Belgium’s draw is another disappointing result for a European country in the first round of this World Cup. Previously there were draws for Switzerland (1-1 against Qatar), the Netherlands (2-2 against Japan), Spain (0-0 against Cape Verde) and defeats for Turkey (2-0 against Australia) and the Czech Republic (2-1 against South Korea).
Iran and New Zealand are the other countries in group G. They will play their first match in Los Angeles next night (3 a.m.).
liveblog
End of second half
The final whistle has sounded in Seattle. The Belgians and Egyptians have to settle for a 1-1 draw in their first World Cup match, with matches against Iran and New Zealand still to come for both teams in this group.
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5 minutes extra time
Five minutes of extra time are added, which is not much considering that the game was stopped for three minutes halfway through the second half due to the drinks break/advertisement break. With a goal and many substitutions, there are actually only two minutes of extra time.
Hamdy Fathy is replaced by Ibrahim Adel
Ahmed Fatouh is replaced by Karim Hafez
Lukaku misses a chance to make it 2-1
Wow, what an opportunity for Romelu Lukaku, but the Belgian striker heads the ball over Egypt’s goal. Substitute Nicolas Raskin’s cross from the right was excellent.
Jérémy Doku is replaced by Matías Fernández-Pardo
Expectations were high for this World Cup, but in the first match Jérémy Doku has not yet been able to make his mark after an excellent season at his club Manchester City.
Kevin De Bruyne is replaced by Hans Vanaken
The tired Kevin De Bruyne goes to the side. Three dangerous shots from the Belgian playmaker, but no goal. In the first half he shot just wide, in the second half against the post and straight onto the goal.
Goalkeeper Egypt prevents the 2-1
Almost 2-1 for the Belgians after a header from defender Brandon Mechele, but the Egyptian goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir prevents that with a clever save. Romelu Lukaku had already made a good run for the rebound, but Shobeir tapped the ball well to the side.
Mohamed Salah is replaced by Hamza Abdelkarim
Mohamed Salah was quite invisible in this match. On his 34th birthday he could not help his country. Fifteen minutes before time he is taken to the side. After nine seasons at Liverpool, it is not yet clear where Salah’s future lies.
Mostafa Ziko is replaced by Zizo
Yellow card for Maxim De Cuyper
Emam Ashour is replaced by Rami Rabia
1-1 Belgium! Own goal by Mohamed Hany!
There’s the 1-1 in Seattle! For a moment it seemed as if Romelu Lukaku had already scored five seconds after coming on, but the replay shows that the Egyptian defender Mohamed Hany worked the ball into his own goal.
Lukaku just missed the ball after a good cross from Thomas Meunier, which was well sent deep by the Belgian captain Youri Tielemans.
Charles De Ketelaere is replaced by Romelu Lukaku
This includes the substitution for Romelu Lukaku Belgium. Can the Red Devils’ all-time top scorer help his country get an equalizer?
Lukaku now has 90 goals in 126 international matches. So he is well on his way to 100, but just like Kevin De Bruyne, Lukaku has had a difficult season at Napoli. In seven games (only 64 playing minutes), he only scored a winning goal in the away match at Hellas Verona (1-2) in the 96th minute. He played his last match for the Italian top club on March 6. He then recuperated for more than two months Belgium, to the frustration of the Napoli club management.
Kevin De Bruyne misses a chance to equalize
Kevin De Bruyne can take a shot from 14 meters after a cross from right back Thomas Meunier, but his shot goes straight to Egypt’s goal. This allows goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir quite easily saved the 34-year-old playmaker of the Red Devils.
Omar Marmoush misses a chance to make it 2-0
Another lightning-fast counter from Egypt. Omar Marmoush has run off, but is hindered enough at the last moment by the fast defender Nathan Ngoy. The Manchester City attacker is therefore a little off balance when shooting, causing his hard shot to go over Thibaut Courtois’ goal.
Amadou Onana is replaced by Maxim De Cuyper
Timothy Castagne is replaced by Nicolas Raskin
Egypt again misses chances to make it 2-0
Ten minutes after the break a double chance to make it 2-0 for Egypt, but again Thibaut Courtois can prevent that.
Kevin De Bruyne’s free kick against the post
Oh dear! The score was almost 1-1, but Kevin de Bruyne shot his free kick hard against the outside of the post from 20 meters.