SEATTLE — For 66 minutes at Lumen Field, Belgium looked like a team that had forgotten who they were. Then Romelu Lukaku stepped onto the pitch, and within 22 seconds — before he had even broken a sweat — Egypt’s Mohamed Hany had put the ball into his own net.

That, in a single sequence, tells the story of Belgium’s 1-1 draw with Egypt in their Group G opener: a team with a €550 million squad, world-class talent in every department, and not a single shot on target in the first half, rescued by a substitute who needed barely half a minute to change everything.

The Salah Show, Act One

If the script called for a fairy tale, Mohamed Salah wrote it himself. On his 34th birthday, the Egyptian king delivered the kind of moment that defines World Cups. In the 19th minute, he collected the ball on the right, cut inside, and instead of shooting — as he has done a thousand times for Liverpool — he slipped a perfectly weighted pass into the path of Emam Ashour.

Ashour, a 28-year-old winger from Al Ahly, took one touch to steady himself and unleashed a ferocious low drive from 20 metres. The ball zipped through Thomas Meunier’s legs and nestled into the bottom corner, beyond the reach of Thibaut Courtois. It was Ashour’s first international goal in 31 appearances. On the biggest stage, on his captain’s birthday, he chose the perfect moment.

Belgium’s First Half: A Collective Blank

What followed was 45 minutes of Belgian possession that led absolutely nowhere. Seven shots, zero on target. Kevin De Bruyne, the metronome of Manchester City’s treble-winning machine, looked lost in a sea of Egyptian white shirts. Jérémy Doku’s electric pace was neutralised by disciplined defending. Leandro Trossard swung at fresh air when presented with a half-chance.

Egypt, meanwhile, looked dangerous every time they broke forward. Mostafa Ziko forced Courtois into a sharp save in the 32nd minute. Omar Marmoush’s pace kept Belgium’s backline permanently on edge. At half-time, the Pharaohs walked off to a standing ovation from their supporters. Belgium walked off to silence.

De Bruyne Hits the Post, and Fate Turns

The second half brought urgency. In the 53rd minute, De Bruyne stood over a free-kick 25 metres from goal. His right-footed effort curled over the wall and was heading for the top corner — until it smashed against the post and bounced clear. The sound of ball on wood echoed through Lumen Field like a warning.

Two minutes later, Egypt nearly doubled their lead. Salah rose highest to meet a cross, his header was parried by Courtois, and Ashour blazed the rebound wide. Egypt were centimetres away from killing the game.

The Lukaku Effect

Rudi Garcia had seen enough. In the 66th minute, he summoned Romelu Lukaku from the bench, replacing Charles De Ketelaere. What happened next defies statistical analysis.

Twenty-two seconds after Lukaku entered the fray, Meunier drove a low cross from the right. Lukaku’s mere presence in the six-yard box — his physicality, his reputation, the sheer gravitational pull of his 100-kilogram frame — sent panic through Egypt’s defence. Hany, stretching to intercept, could only divert the ball past his own goalkeeper.

1-1. Belgium had their equaliser. They had not earned it through craft or quality. They had bludgeoned it into existence through sheer force of presence.

The Final Push

Belgium poured forward in search of a winner. Lukaku rose to meet a cross in the 87th minute but headed over. Brandon Mechele forced a stunning save from Mostafa Shobeir. De Bruyne was withdrawn with four minutes to play, his face a portrait of frustration.

Egypt held on. They defended with the discipline of a team that knew exactly what they were doing, and when the final whistle blew, their players embraced as if they had won. In a way, they had.

What It Means

This was Belgium’s first World Cup goal in 325 minutes, stretching back to the 2022 tournament. The own goal was the third of this World Cup — already surpassing the two scored in the entirety of Qatar 2022.

For Egypt, the point extends their winless World Cup record to eight matches (3 draws, 5 losses). But this felt like a victory. African teams have now collected six points from their first six matches at this tournament, the continent’s best start since 2002.

Group G Standings

Pos Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Iran 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2 New Zealand 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 Belgium 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 1
4 Egypt 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 1

Belgium’s next match is against Iran in Los Angeles on June 21. Egypt face New Zealand in Vancouver on the same day. For the Red Devils, nothing less than three points will do.

Match Details:

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