Egypt secured the first World Cup victory in their history by beating New Zealand 3-1 on Sunday, putting them on track to reach the knockout round for the first time. Mohamed Salah, Mostafa Zico, and Trezeguet scored for Egypt after Finn Surman had given New Zealand the lead in the 15th minute of the Group G match in Vancouver.
Match Summary
The victory lifts Egypt to the top of Group G with four points. A draw against Iran in Seattle on Friday would be enough to advance to the last 32. Earlier, Belgium and Iran played out a 0-0 draw in the other Group G game.
New Zealand opened the scoring through Surman's towering header after 15 minutes. Zico equalized by heading in a cross from Mohamed Hany. Salah then put Egypt ahead in the 67th minute after exchanging passes with Zico and curling a left-footed shot into the net. Salah later assisted substitute Trezeguet, who scored with a low header to make the game safe.
Player Reactions
“In years to come we will remember that this was one of the achievements in history,” Salah said. He praised the large Egyptian contingent in the crowd, adding: “It feels like we are playing in Egypt. It’s a great win and great vibe.”
Zico, named after the Brazilian legend, and Trezeguet, named after former France forward David Trezeguet, both played key roles in the historic win. The Belgians will face New Zealand in Vancouver on Friday.
