Nearly a century after their tournament debut, the Pharaohs made history on Monday by securing their first-ever FIFA World Cup victory.
The Pharoahs came from behind to defeat New Zealand 3-1 in Vancouver, marking a historic breakthrough for the North African giants on the world stage.
Following a dismal 1-1 draw against Belgium in their opening fixture, Monday’s 3-1 victory over New Zealand in their second Group G fixture puts Egypt in a strong position.
The landmark win moves them a step closer to the knockout rounds.
Finn Surman opened the scoring for New Zealand in the 15th minute, before Egypt responded with goals from Mostafa Zico (58′), Mohamed Salah (67′), and Trezeguet (82′).
The result propels the Egyptians to the top of Group G with 4 points, ahead of Iran and Belgium, placing them on the verge of qualifying for the round of 32.
Hossam Hassan’s men were caught off guard early in the first half when Surman headed New Zealand in front.
The Pharaohs struggled to find their rhythm during the opening 45 minutes as a dangerous New Zealand side threatened to double their advantage on several occasions.
However, the tide turned in the 58th minute when Mostafa Zico grabbed the equaliser.
Mohamed Salah then put Egypt ahead in the 67th minute, before Trezeguet sealed the historic win with a third goal late in the game.
Prior to this match, the Pharaohs had never won a World Cup game across their three previous appearances in 1934, 1990, and 2018, exiting each tournament in the first round.
Salah’s goal against New Zealand also cements his legacy, bringing his total World Cup tally to three goals—a new record for an Egyptian player. He surpasses Abdelrahman Fawzi, who scored twice in the 1934 edition. Salah had previously scored twice during the 2018 World Cup in Russia against the hosts and Saudi Arabia.
In the group’s other fixture, a 10-man Belgium side played out a 0-0 draw against Iran in Los Angeles, in a match dominated by stellar performances from both goalkeepers.
Egypt will wrap up their group stage campaign against Iran on June 27 in a decisive clash for knockout round qualification, while Belgium will face New Zealand.
AK/Sf/lb/as/APA