Belgium were forced to settle for a frustrating 1-1 draw against a disciplined Egypt side in their opening Group G fixture at the FIFA World Cup 2026. Widely tipped to top the group, the Red Devils struggled to break down a well-organised opponent and needed a late stroke of fortune to avoid an unexpected defeat.

The pattern of the match unfolded largely as expected. Belgium dominated possession and attempted to dictate the tempo, while Egypt focused on defensive solidity and looked dangerous on the counter-attack. However, the game took an unexpected turn in the 20th minute when Mahmoud Ashour stunned the European side.

After receiving a pass from Mohamed Salah, the Egyptian midfielder unleashed a speculative effort from outside the penalty area. The strike flew beyond the reach of Thibaut Courtois, leaving the Belgian goalkeeper with no chance and handing Egypt a surprise lead.

Despite enjoying the majority of possession before half-time, Belgium found it difficult to create meaningful opportunities. Their attacking moves repeatedly broke down in the final third, while Egypt remained compact and disciplined without the ball.

The second half saw a significant improvement from the team coached by Rudi Garcia. Just eight minutes after the restart, Kevin De Bruyne came agonisingly close to equalising when his free-kick crashed against the post.

Yet Egypt continued to threaten whenever space opened up. Mohamed Salah nearly doubled his side's advantage after a swift counter-attack, but Courtois produced a world-class save. The rebound then fell kindly to Ashour, who somehow sent his follow-up effort wide, missing a golden opportunity to put the match beyond Belgium's reach.

Recognising the need for a change, Rudi Garcia introduced Romelu Lukaku in the 66th minute. The striker made an immediate impact, becoming involved in the decisive attacking move less than a minute after entering the pitch.

A dangerous low cross from the right caused chaos inside the Egyptian penalty area, and the ball eventually found its way into the net. While the goal was initially credited to Lukaku, it was later ruled an own goal by an Egyptian defender, allowing Belgium to level the score at 1-1.

Although the result falls short of expectations, it is far from a disaster for Belgium. Upcoming Group G encounters against Iran and New Zealand still provide a clear path to qualification for the knockout stages of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

World Cup 2026

Belgium - Egypt 1:1 (0:1)
Goals: Ashour, 20 (0:1); Hany, 66 (own goal) (1:1)

Belgium: Courtois; Castagne (De Cuyper, 56); Onana A. (Raskin, 57); Mechele; Meunier; Ngoy N.; De Bruyne (Vanaken, 86); Tielemans; De Ketelaere (Lukaku R., 66); Trossard; Doku J. (Fernandez Pardo, 86)
Substitution: De Cuyper (from 56); Raskin (from 57); Lukaku R. (from 66); Vanaken (from 86); Fernandez Pardo (from 86)
Bench: Lammens; Penders; De Winter K.; Seys; Theate; Saelemaekers; Witsel; Lukebakio; Moreira D.
Yellow Cards: Castagne 14; De Cuyper 75

Egypt: Shobeir; Hany; Ibrahim; Fotouh (Hafez, 88); Ateya; Ashour (Rabia, 71); Fathi H. (Adel, 88); Lasheen; Salah (Abdelkarim, 76); Ziko (Zizo, 76); Marmoush
Substitution: Rabia (from 71); Zizo (from 76); Abdelkarim (from 76); Hafez (from 88); Adel (from 88)
Bench: El Shenawy M.; Soliman; Alaa M.; Alaa T.; Abdelmaguid; Abdelmonem; Nabil Dunga; Saber; Hassan; Hassan H.
Yellow Cards: Ateya 13; Fotouh 34