Egypt held Belgium to a 1-1 draw in their 2026 FIFA World Cup Group G opener in Seattle, stopping the Red Devils from winning their first match. Emam Ashour gave Egypt a first-half lead. Belgium then equalised through a Mohamed Hany own goal after Romelu Lukaku came on.
The result left both teams with one point after the first round of matches. Iran and New Zealand also drew 2-2 in the other Group G game, leaving all four teams level.
Ashour gives Egypt early lead
Egypt started with confidence and took the lead in the 19th minute. Mohamed Salah created the chance, and Ashour finished from outside the box for his first international goal. The goal gave Egypt confidence against a Belgium side expected to have more control. Egypt stayed compact after scoring and worked hard to reduce space for Belgium’s wide players.
Belgium had more possession but struggled to turn that into clear chances before half-time. Jeremy Doku and Leandro Trossard had little room, while Egypt’s defence kept Kevin De Bruyne away from dangerous areas.
Lukaku changes Belgium attack
Belgium improved after the break but still needed a change to break through. Lukaku was introduced in the 66th minute and quickly gave Belgium more threat in the penalty area.
The equaliser came soon after his arrival. Lukaku’s run forced Egypt’s defence to react, and Hany turned the ball into his own net as Belgium made it 1-1. The goal gave Belgium more control for a short spell. Egypt then had to defend deeper as Belgium pushed for a winner.
Egypt miss chance for first World Cup win
Egypt came close to a major result but could not hold their lead. The Pharaohs have still never won a World Cup match, despite producing several competitive performances across different tournaments.
Salah remained central to Egypt’s best attacking moments. His assist for Ashour showed his influence, while Omar Marmoush also gave Belgium problems with his movement and direct running.
Belgium avoided an early setback, but the draw showed some of the same attacking issues that have followed the team since the end of its golden generation. They had quality on the ball but lacked sharpness for much of the match.
Group G starts with two draws
Group G opened with two draws, leaving Belgium, Egypt, Iran and New Zealand on one point each. That makes the second matchday important for every team in the group.
Belgium will next face Iran in Los Angeles. Egypt will play New Zealand in Vancouver, where both teams will look for a first win after taking a point from their openers.
