Egypt claims their first World Cup win defeating New Zealand
Mohamed Salah led Egypt to their first-ever FIFA World Cup 2026 victory with a thrilling 3-1 comeback against New Zealand. Both Group G contenders clashed at Vancouver's BC Place, where the Pharaohs recovered from an early deficit to inch closer toward the Round of 32. Before this historic night on Canadian soil, Egypt had suffered decades of frustration across three previous World Cup campaigns without recording a single win.
Players from New Zealand dictated the early tempo and looked incredibly dangerous. Finn Surman scored with a powerful header following an inviting corner delivery from Tim Payne. Oufa Shobeir had already produced crucial saves to keep Egypt in the match during this early onslaught.
Things shifted drastically after the interval. Mostafa Ziko scored a close-range header to level the match around the hour mark. Ten minutes later, Ziko combined perfectly with Salah, allowing the Egyptian captain to strike clinically and steal the lead. Substitute Trezeguet secured the final result in the 82nd minute by heading home a corner kick from Salah. New Zealand must now defeat Belgium to survive, while Egypt looks confidently toward their final fixture against Iran.
Image Courtesy: ANI
