Egypt beat New Zealand 3-1 in Vancouver on Sunday for their first World Cup win. Mohamed Salah scored and set up a goal as Egypt came from behind. The result moved them top of Group G.
Egypt beat New Zealand 3-1 in Vancouver on Sunday for their first World Cup win. Mohamed Salah scored and set up a goal as Egypt came from behind. The result moved them top of Group G.
New Zealand led at the break. Finn Surman rose to a Tim Payne corner in the 15th minute and powered a header past Mostafa Shoubir, beating his marker Ahmed Fatouh. Egypt levelled in the 58th minute when Mostafa Zico met a Mohamed Hany cross and his header crept past Max Crocombe. Salah put Egypt ahead nine minutes later, exchanging a one-two with Zico before curling a left-footed finish into the far corner, then Mahmoud Trezeguet headed home a Salah corner in the 82nd to settle it.
Salah claimed the man-of-the-match award, finishing with five attempts, two on target. It was his 68th international goal and left him one short of coach Hossam Hassan's national scoring record.
"It's a great achievement for all the players. It's a great win. It's a great vibe. The next game is very important," Salah said.
He pointed to the support inside a sellout BC Place. "It feels like we are playing in Egypt. It's a great win and great vibe," he said. When he was substituted in the 85th minute, the crowd rose to applaud him.
Hassan ran around the pitch with an Egyptian flag at full-time. "The stadium felt as if we were in Egypt. The fans made it feel as though we were playing in Egypt, and I told the players, 'We're playing in Egypt.' The stadium was full, like Cairo Stadium," he said.
New Zealand captain Chris Wood reflected on stopping Salah. "You can't just focus on one player, and he (Salah) can pop up with a goal at any time and he showed that," Wood said. He added the All Whites "contained them well enough" but acknowledged Egypt's wider threat.
The win was Egypt's first at a World Cup in four appearances, ending a wait that dated back 92 years to their 1934 debut. Their previous tournaments ended in first-round exits in 1934, 1990 and 2018. Salah also became the first Egyptian to score at two separate World Cups and, at 34 years and 6 days, the oldest to score for the country, passing Magdy Abdelghany.
Egypt sit top of Group G on four points from two games. New Zealand are bottom on one. Belgium and Iran each have two after their 0-0 draw earlier on Sunday.
Egypt's Hossam Abdelmaguid left the field late with a suspected concussion as his eye swelled. Egypt had already lost Hamdy Fathy to an apparent injury before half-time, with Ramy Rabia coming on.
Both goalkeepers were busy, Shoubir and Crocombe making four saves apiece. Egypt close their group against Iran in Seattle on Friday, needing only a draw to reach the last 32. New Zealand, still chasing their first World Cup win, face Belgium in Vancouver the same day.
