Belgium vs Egypt

Belgium and Egypt shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw at Seattle Stadium on Mohamed Salah's 34th birthday, though the Egyptian star was withdrawn in the second half as both sides kicked off their World Cup 2026 Group G campaigns with a point each. Emam Ashour gave Egypt an early lead in the 19th minute, and the Pharaohs defended resolutely for much of the game. Belgium levelled in the 66th minute when substitute Romelu Lukaku's immediate impact off the bench forced Mohamed Hany into an unfortunate own goal. Goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir then denied Belgium with two outstanding late saves, keeping the Red Devils at bay despite their 54% possession and 15 attempts on goal. The result is a morale boost for Egypt, who showed they can compete with Europe's best. For Belgium, dropping points against a side they were expected to beat is a worrying start, and they will need a sharper showing in their remaining Group G fixtures to keep their tournament ambitions on track.