Egypt finally ended their 92-year wait for a World Cup victory on Saturday, roaring back from a half-time deficit to defeat New Zealand 3-1 at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver and climb to the top of Group G.
The Pharaohs had never won a World Cup match in their history, spanning appearances in 1934, 1990, and 2018. That drought ended in spectacular fashion as Egypt overturned a first-half deficit with three second-half goals.
New Zealand controlled the first half and took the lead in the 15th minute when Finn Surman powered home a bullet header from a perfectly delivered corner. The All Whites maintained their advantage until halftime, but the introduction of tactical changes by manager Hossam Hassan transformed the game.
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Egypt leveled in the 58th minute when Mostafa Zico nodded home a floated cross from Mohamed Hany with a free header. Nine minutes later, captain Mohamed Salah completed the turnaround, combining with Zico via a back-heel pass and guiding a crisp low finish past goalkeeper Max Crocombe.
Super-sub Trézéguet secured the historic points in the 82nd minute, diving to head home a corner delivered by Salah just six minutes after coming onto the pitch. Egypt finished with 19 shots, seven on target, while New Zealand managed 10 shots, five on target. Egyptian passing accuracy stood at 88 percent compared to New Zealand’s 82 percent.
Salah became Egypt’s outright top scorer in World Cup history with three goals, surpassing Abdelrahman Fawzi. He is also the first Egyptian to score at multiple World Cups. This was the first time Egypt has scored three goals in a single World Cup match, and Trézéguet became the first substitute to score a World Cup goal for the Pharaohs.
According to a report by Accra Street Journal, Egypt’s victory puts them on the verge of qualifying for the knockout stage for the first time. They need only a draw against Iran on Friday, June 26, to secure a top-two finish. New Zealand, who must beat Belgium to have any chance of advancing, have work to do.
Pre-Match Report & News
The Stakes
New Zealand Team News
Egypt Team News
Projected Starting Lineups
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- Goalkeeper: Max Teremoana Crocombe
- Defenders: Tim Payne, Michael Boxall, Finn Surman, Liberato Cacace
- Defensive Midfielders: Joe Bell, Marko Stamenic
- Attacking Midfielders: Callum McCowatt, Sarpreet Singh, Elijah Just
- Striker: Chris Wood
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- Goalkeeper: Mostafa Shobeir
- Defenders: Mohamed Hany, Yasser Ibrahim, Hamdy Fathy, Ahmed El Fotouh
- Defensive Midfielders: Marwan Ateya, Mohanad Lasheen
- Attacking Midfielders: Mostafa Ziko, Mohamed Salah, Emam Ashour
- Striker: Omar Marmoush
Fast Match Facts & Analytical Records
- The Ultimate Winless Stat: This match features a battle of historical tournament curses. Egypt has played the second-most matches in World Cup history without a single victory (eight games), while New Zealand sits right behind them with the third-most (seven games). One team is guaranteed a chance to break their historic duck.
- Head-to-Head History: This is the first-ever meeting between the two nations at a World Cup. Across three prior international friendlies, Egypt holds an unbeaten edge with 2 wins and 1 draw, most recently defeating the All Whites 1-0 in 2024 during coach Hossam Hassan’s managerial debut.
- First Half Form vs. Second Half Fatigue: New Zealand has an incredibly consistent statistical quirk; the halftime result has been mirrored at full-time in all seven of their all-time World Cup matches. Conversely, Egypt struggles heavily with late game management, having conceded 10 of their 13 all-time World Cup goals after the halftime whistle.
- Fan Outpour: Tournament organizers are expecting a massive stadium turnout at BC Place. The Egyptian Canadian Society has confirmed over 15,000 Egyptian fans are marching to the venue, matching a large contingent of traveling “Flying Kiwis” supporters.
- The Referee: Omar Al Ali from the United Arab Emirates will serve as the head official for this Group G clash.
Source: Accra Street Journal
Last Updated on June 22, 2026 by Samuel Kwame Boadu
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Samuel Kwame Boadu is a Ghanaian media entrepreneur and storyteller with a passion for amplifying urban voices and uncovering everyday truths. He is the Editor-in-Chief and Founder of Accra Street Journal, a dynamic digital platform dedicated to capturing the pulse of Ghana’s capital—its people, culture, challenges, business, sports and innovations.
