Romelu Lukaku rescues Belgium during intense Seattle stalemate
Belgium escaped with a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Egypt in their FIFA World Cup 2026 opener after a lightning-fast substitution turned the tide in Seattle. The Red Devils looked heading for a shock defeat until veteran striker Romelu Lukaku forced an own goal from Mohamed Hany just 22 seconds after stepping onto the pitch.
Salah Sparks Historic Start
Egypt, appearing in only their fourth global tournament, dominated the early narrative. Operating with the tactical discipline typical of North African powerhouses facing European elite, the Pharaohs structured a brilliant counter-attacking plan.
Celebrating his 34th birthday, Mohamed Salah carved out a slice of football history. The Liverpool icon delivered a precise, low pass to Emam Ashour in the 19th minute. Ashour controlled the ball cleanly, sliding a composed finish past goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois to put Egypt ahead. This moment established Salah as the first African footballer on record to claim a World Cup goal involvement on his birthday.
Super Sub Halts Egyptian Dream
Dominating 58 percent of first-half possession, Belgium failed to register a single shot on target before the interval. Kevin De Bruyne rattled the post with a curling free-kick early in the second half, while Courtois stood tall to deny a goal-bound Salah header at the other end.
Everything changed in the 65th minute with the tactical introduction of Lukaku. The robust forward immediate pressured the Egyptian box, causing panic as a Thomas Meunier cross deflected off defender Hany into his own net. Egyptian goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir later produced a stunning reflex save against Brandon Mechele to ensure both teams shared a point in the wide-open Group G standings.
With Inputs from Agency Threads and Image Courtesy: ANI
