Egypt hold Belgium to 1-1 draw as Emam Ashour shines in FIFA World Cup 2026 opener
Egypt made an encouraging start to their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign after battling to a 1-1 draw against Belgium in their opening Group G fixture in Seattle.
The Pharaohs looked composed throughout the contest and came within minutes of securing one of the biggest victories in their World Cup history before Belgium salvaged a point through an unfortunate own goal.
Ashour gives Egypt dream start
Egypt stunned the European side in the 19th minute when Mohamed Salah unlocked the Belgian defence with an intelligent pass into the path of Emam Ashour.
The Al Ahly midfielder needed no second invitation, driving a powerful finish beyond Thibaut Courtois to hand Egypt an early advantage. It was a deserved reward for Hossam Hassan's side, who defended with discipline while remaining dangerous whenever they broke forward through Salah and Omar Marmoush.
Belgium controlled possession for long spells but struggled to penetrate Egypt's organised defensive structure during the opening 45 minutes.
Courtois keeps Belgium alive
Despite falling behind, Belgium avoided further damage thanks largely to Courtois. The experienced goalkeeper denied Mostafa Abdel Raouf "Zico" from a tight angle before making several important interventions to keep the deficit at one goal heading into halftime.
Meanwhile, Egypt continued frustrating Belgium by limiting clear-cut opportunities despite the presence of Kevin De Bruyne orchestrating attacks from midfield.
Belgium respond after Lukaku introduction
Belgium increased the intensity after the interval, with De Bruyne striking the post from a dangerous free-kick early in the second half. Egypt remained threatening on the counterattack, with Salah forcing another save before Ashour narrowly missed the rebound.
Omar Marmoush also continued stretching Belgium's defence with his pace and direct running. Belgium manager Rudi Garcia introduced Romelu Lukaku midway through the second half, and the substitution quickly changed the momentum.
Only moments after coming on, Lukaku's movement inside the penalty area created confusion following a dangerous Thomas Meunier cross. Under heavy pressure, defender Mohamed Hany inadvertently diverted the ball into his own net, allowing Belgium to restore parity.
Egypt show defensive resilience
Belgium pushed aggressively for a late winner, but Egypt refused to collapse. Goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir produced several calm interventions while the Egyptian backline stood firm during sustained Belgian pressure.
The disciplined defensive display ensured the Pharaohs secured an important point against the highest-ranked side in the group.
Although Egypt are still searching for their first-ever World Cup victory, the performance demonstrated they have the quality to compete for qualification to the knockout stages.
Group G remains wide open
The draw leaves both Egypt and Belgium on one point after the opening round of Group G fixtures. With Iran and New Zealand also competing in the group, qualification remains firmly within reach for every nation.
Egypt will next face New Zealand in Vancouver before concluding their group campaign against Iran in Seattle.
Belgium, meanwhile, take on Iran before finishing the group stage against New Zealand, knowing improvements will be required after an underwhelming opening performance.
SportsLigue
