Egypt just did something they’ve never done in their entire football history: win a World Cup match. The Pharaohs dismantled New Zealand 3-1 at BC Place in Vancouver on June 21, securing their spot in the knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Captain Mohamed Salah delivered exactly what 100 million Egyptians demanded, scoring one and assisting another.
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How the match unfolded
Things didn’t start well for Egypt. New Zealand’s Finn Surman opened the scoring in the 15th minute, putting the Pharaohs on the back foot early. Both teams entered the match without a single World Cup victory in their respective histories, which made the stakes feel almost existential for each side.
Egypt found their equalizer through Mostafa Zico in the 58th minute, a goal that shifted the entire energy of the contest. Nine minutes later, Salah converted to make it 2-1, with Zico providing the assist. Trezeguet put the exclamation point on the victory in the 82nd minute, sealing a 3-1 scoreline that sent Egypt through to the knockout rounds.
