New ZealandvsEgypt

Result

Egypt came from behind to claim a historic first World Cup victory. Finn Surman headed New Zealand ahead on 15 minutes, but Mostafa Zico nodded Egypt level just before the hour from Mohamed Hany's cross and Mohamed Salah put the Pharaohs in front on 67 after a one-two with Zico. Substitute Trézéguet, on for six minutes, dived to head in Salah's corner on 82 to seal a 3-1 win in Vancouver — Egypt's first World Cup win in 92 years of trying.

New Zealand 4-2-3-14-2-3-1 Egypt

New Zealand

Egypt

Finn Surman15'

Mostafa Zico58'

Mohamed Salah67'

Trézéguet82'

Sarpreet Singh20'

Mohanad Lashin17'

Callum McCowatt34'

44%Possession56%

11Shots19

5On target7

4Saves4

4Corners4

337Passes completed460

80%Pass accuracy87%

12Tackles16

17Touches in box36

Substitutions

Ben Oldfor Callum McCowattat 66'

Ramy Rabiafor Hamdy Fathyat 41'

Jesse Randallfor Liberato Cacaceat 76'

Trézéguetfor Omar Marmoushat 76'

Ryan Thomasfor Sarpreet Singhat 76'

Hamza Abdelkarimfor Mostafa Zicoat 76'

Tyler Bindonfor Tim Payneat 85'

Zizofor Emam Ashourat 85'

Francis de Vriesfor Elijah Justat 85'

Hossam Abdelmaguidfor Mohamed Salahat 85'

Mohamed Abdelmoneimfor Hossam Abdelmaguidat 90'+9'

At this Stage

Egypt lead Group G, and the sentence carries 92 years of weight: the 3-1 comeback in Vancouver was their first World Cup win in 92 years of trying, and it makes them the only team in a draw-addicted group to have won at all. Four points puts them two clear of IR Iran and Belgium, who played out a 0-0 at SoFi and sit level on two with Iran ahead on goals scored. New Zealand, whose lead through Finn Surman lasted until just before the hour, drop to the bottom with the point from their opening 2-2 — still alive, but now needing the final day to be generous. Zico's leveller, Salah's one-two finish and Trézéguet's diving header did the flipping; the table's lesson is plainer. In a group where nobody else beats anybody, one win reads like a landslide.

Group G

Team	P	W	D	L	GD	Pts
Egypt	2	1	1	0	+2	4
IR Iran	2	0	2	0	+0	2
Belgium	2	0	2	0	+0	2
New Zealand	2	0	1	1	-2	1

Top two (above the accent line) advance to the round of 32; the third-placed team is in the race for one of the eight best-third spots.

What we know now

What I said beforehand

The preview, frozen at kickoff. Clearly dated, never rewritten — that's the deal that makes the predictions worth anything.

Egypt to win, narrowly. Group G is bunched after both sides drew their openers — New Zealand earning a spirited 2-2 against Iran, Egypt held 1-1 by Belgium — and the Pharaohs carry the decisive edge in Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush. New Zealand are physical, well-organised and dangerous from Chris Wood's aerial presence, so this should be tight and competitive, but Egypt's quality in the final third should just about tell. 2-1 Egypt.

Both cases written 2026-06-20, before kickoff — they freeze into the record exactly as written, however the match goes. The percentages are mine, quoted to a decimal because false precision is funnier — the unclaimed 32% belongs to the draw.