Mohamed Salah scored and supplied a goal as Egypt beat New Zealand 3-1 in Vancouver, securing the Pharaohs’ first-ever World Cup victory at the eighth attempt and lifting them to the top of Group G, according to the report.
The 34-year-old’s performance puts Egypt within touching distance of the knockout stages ahead of their final group game against Iran in Seattle on Friday, the report adds. Belgium, meanwhile, will face New Zealand in Vancouver needing positive results to keep their tournament hopes alive.
That pressure has been evident for several veteran stars. Belgium played out a goalless draw with Iran in Los Angeles in a match that suggested Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne are struggling for form, according to the report. The tournament has otherwise provided few exceptions among established names, with Argentina captain Lionel Messi standing out after his hat trick against Algeria.
Other high-profile veterans have had quieter tournaments. Cristiano Ronaldo’s 90 minutes for Portugal against DR Congo were described as a non-event, and Heung-Min Son has not matched previous heights for South Korea, according to the report. Salah himself was substituted in Egypt’s opener against Belgium, with coach Hossam Hassan denying reports of a rift, while De Bruyne was described as indifferent in his first game against Egypt.
The report notes Egypt arrive at the finals as an African powerhouse with a record seven AFCON titles but had never won a World Cup match before Sunday; only Honduras (nine) has played more finals matches without a win. For Belgium, the so-called golden generation has given way to a side with fewer elite names, leaving De Bruyne and Lukaku to shoulder expectation. Lukaku, who did not play in Belgium’s opening game against Egypt in Seattle, made only seven appearances for Napoli this season due to fitness issues and entered the Iran match with 90 goals in 127 games, making him Belgium’s all-time leading scorer and fifth on the all-time international list, according to the report.
