Belgium vs. Egypt: Why Mo Salah's Pharaohs can make it out of Group G at World Cup 2026 after 1-1 draw in opening game

Egypt kicked disconnected their World Cup 2026 run connected Monday evening, securing a 1-1 gully against Group G rivals Belgium astatine Seattle's Lumen Field.

The Pharaohs took a astonishment pb done Al Ahly's Emam Ashour with little than 20 minutes connected the clock, but portion the African giants tried their champion to clasp out, they were pegged backmost by an own-goal from Mohamed Hany.

A 1-1 gully against the Red Devils is not the worst result, particularly considering the level of absorption elsewhere successful the group, and Hossam Hassan's men volition instrumentality assurance from their showing.

Here, aft their opening game, Sports Mole takes a look astatine the reasons wherefore Egypt tin marque it to the knockout rounds during World Cup 2026.

Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush look unsafe successful World Cup opener

Egypt talisman Mohamed Salah was raring to spell this week, keen to marque an interaction connected the satellite stage, and helium was the 1 to supply the assistance for his country's opener.

The Liverpool fable has been the starring airy for the Pharaohs for astir a decennary now, but helium was incapable to execute astatine his champion during the 2018 World Cup owed to the enarthrosis wounded that helium suffered successful the Champions League last conscionable weeks prior.

This clip around, Salah came into the tourney weeks removed from a musculus injury, and connected the backmost of a hard play for the Reds nether Arne Slot.

That archetypal constituent could person been the crushed that the 33-year-old was substituted with astir 15 minutes to play, but for the clip helium was connected the pitch, helium linked up good with the likes of Omar Marmoush during the uncommon counterattacking moments that Egypt enjoyed. 

Belgium are the standout squad successful Group G

The Pharaohs whitethorn not person an full squad of top-level players to prime for each game, but a pairing of Salah and Marmoush would spell toe-to-toe with astir immoderate duo astatine the tournament.

Hassan's broadside were capable to find the indispensable moments to locomotion distant with a constituent against Belgium, who are ranked ninth successful the satellite by FIFA, and if they tin repetition the instrumentality successful their remaining games past they could progress.

Looking ahead, Egypt volition travel up against 85th-ranked New Zealand adjacent week, with the Kiwis having mislaid 9 of their past 11 matches.

Five days later, the Pharaohs are acceptable to look a tougher trial successful 20th-ranked Iran, though considering their quality to clasp their ain against Belgium, they volition beryllium optimistic astir their chances.

With that successful mind, portion the African giants volition beryllium disappointed to person surrendered the pb connected Monday, a gully against what is apt to beryllium the toughest hostile successful their radical volition beryllium seen arsenic an wide positive.

Egypt volition beryllium hopeless to marque history

Apart from the information that it caused them dropping points, Egypt volition beryllium ruing their own-goal against Belgium arsenic they proceed to hold for their first-ever triumph astatine the World Cup finals.

This summer's variation represents the 4th clip that the Pharaohs person appeared astatine the tourney - the archetypal coming each the mode backmost successful 1934 - and conscionable the 2nd since 1990.

It cannot beryllium overstated however overmuch a triumph connected the biggest signifier would mean for Egyptian football, which has endured turmoil passim the past 15 years.

The bequest of arguably the top Premier League subordinate of each clip would besides beryllium bolstered by making past with a win, and Salah - whose planetary interaction has been doubted by immoderate - volition beryllium much determined than ever to interruption caller crushed for his nation.

Such a unified absorption and extremity volition beryllium beneficial with 2 games remaining successful the radical stage, particularly fixed that a clash against New Zealand volition beryllium seen arsenic a aureate accidental to enactment points connected the board.