Belgium and Egypt tie 1-1 in World Cup group match

In their World Cup opening match on Monday, Belgium and Egypt finished 1‑1, with a second‑half Belgian equaliser dampening Mohamed Salah’s 34th‑birthday celebrations.

Emam Ashour scored early in the first half in Seattle, and after the hour, Romelu Lukaku entered the game to compel Egypt’s Mohamed Hany to record an own goal.

The draw extends Egypt’s quest for their first World Cup win, despite being seven‑time Africa Cup of Nations champions.

It is Egypt’s fourth appearance at the World Cup, and with upcoming Group G matches against Iran and New Zealand, they aim to end the streak in North America.

For Belgium, the tournament may be the final opportunity for the remnants of their golden generation to surpass their third‑place finish in Russia eight years ago and secure a trophy.

Veterans Kevin De Bruyne, Thibaut Courtois and Lukaku remain the key figures in Rudi Garcia’s squad.

While attention focused on Salah and De Bruyne, the former Manchester City playmaker generated the first notable moment, pulling