Belgium fight back to draw with Egypt in World Cup group game

Belgium salvaged a 1-1 draw against Egypt in their World Cup opener, with a second-half equalizer denying Mohamed Salah a birthday win. The match, held in Seattle, saw Egypt take an early lead through Emam Ashour before Romelu Lukaku's intervention led to an own goal by Mohamed Hany.

Egypt, seven-time Africa Cup of Nations champions, continues their quest for a first World Cup victory, with this draw marking their fourth appearance. Despite facing strong opponents like Belgium, Iran, and New Zealand in Group G, they hope to break this streak.

For Belgium, this tournament represents a final opportunity for their veteran 'golden generation,' including Kevin De Bruyne, Thibaut Courtois, and Romelu Lukaku, to achieve major silverware, having finished third in the 2018 World Cup.

“

We know Belgium are a good team, (they have) good quality players but we can’t say it was the hardest game or the easiest game. Every game for us has got to be three points.

Despite De Bruyne's early effort narrowly missing the target, it was Ashour who opened the scoring with a powerful strike that left goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois with no chance. This was only the second time in Egypt's World Cup history that they had taken the lead.

In the second half, De Bruyne came close to equalizing with a free-kick that struck the post. Salah also had a chance with a header, but Belgium's resilience, coupled with Lukaku's impact off the bench, ultimately secured them a point.

“

The opening match of a competition like the World Cup is always a tough one, especially against one of Africa’s top teams. We managed to equalise thanks to a player who came off the bench, which shows just how important the whole squad is.