Emam Ashour’s first worldwide objective gave Egypt the lead, earlier than veteran Romelu Lukaku compelled an personal objective to equalise.
Printed On 15 Jun 2026
Romelu Lukaku compelled Egypt into an personal objective inside seconds of coming into the sport, and favourites Belgium escaped with a 1-1 draw within the opening Group G match of the World Cup at Seattle Stadium.
Lukaku’s equaliser got here simply 28 seconds after coming into the sport within the 66th minute and prevented Egypt from successful their first recreation of their fourth World Cup look on Monday.
Really helpful Tales
checklist of 4 objectsfinish of checklist
Midfielder Emam Ashour scored his first worldwide objective with an outstanding shot from 20 yards out to provide Egypt a 1-0 lead.
Egypt coach Hossam Hassan opted to play Mohamed Salah centrally on the legend’s thirty fourth birthday, and the transfer labored out brilliantly from the outset. After drawing an early yellow card on Belgium, Salah then delivered a scientific go to Ashour on the sting of the defence.
Ashour used his first contact to arrange the shot together with his proper foot, which he struck at 34km/h (21 mph), and buried within the decrease left nook of the web previous the outstretched proper arm of Actual Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
The Nineteenth-minute strike, simply earlier than the hydration break, was the primary for Ashour in his thirtieth look for Egypt.
Courtois would later make a wonderful save, diving in the identical course off a shot from Mostafa Zico within the thirty third minute. Egypt put each of their first-half photographs on track, whereas Belgium failed to check Egypt goalkeeper Mostafa Shoubir with any of their eight makes an attempt.
Belgium repeatedly attacked from the perimeters within the first half however had been unable to successfully threaten Shoubir.
That modified early within the second half, with the sport opening up and Belgium making use of extra stress within the field, whereas Egypt mounted a number of harmful counterattacks. Salah almost scored off a header within the fifty fifth minute, with Courtois making one other diving save.
Omar Marmoush later fired a shot from contained in the field that was deflected extensive of the objective.
Belgium determined so as to add extra physicality with Lukaku coming into within the 66th minute. Twenty-three seconds later, the Napoli striker cut up two defenders off a cross from Thomas Meunier and compelled the personal objective because the ball deflected off Hany’s foot in a pile in entrance of Shoubir.
Salah’s day ended when the longtime Liverpool star was subbed off within the seventy fifth minute.
