Romelu Lukaku saved Belgium from an embarrassing start to their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign after the striker made immediate impact to earn a 1-1 draw against impressive Egypt in Group G at the Seattle Stadium on Monday.

The Napoli forward needed just 28 seconds to turn the contest after being introduced in the 66th minute, allowing Mohammed Hani to score an own goal to cancel out Imam Ashour’s first-half opener.

While Belgium will be relieved to exit with a point, the result represents a missed opportunity for Egypt, who defeated one of the tournament favorites for long periods and came within minutes of securing one of the biggest results in the country’s World Cup history.

FIFA World Cup 2026: highlight

Egypt affected

Most of the focus ahead of the match was focused on Belgium’s star-studded team, but Egypt emerged as the more cohesive and dangerous side for large parts of the contest.

Hossam Hassan’s decision to deploy Mohamed Salah in the middle proved effective belgium Egypt struggled to stop the movements of the attacking players. Salah played a key role in the opening goal and laid a pass into the path of Ashour, who fired a low effort beyond Thibaut Courtois for his first international goal in the 19th minute.

The benefits were totally worth it.

The Egyptian combined defensive discipline with offensive intent, frustrating Belgium’s wide players while limiting Kevin De Bruyne’s influence in advanced areas. Despite enjoying more possession, Belgium failed to register a shot on target in the opening half and looked short of ideas against a well-trained opponent.

Lukaku turned the tide

Belgium improved after the interval but continued to struggle to convert pressure into clear chances.

Courtois kept his side alive by making vital saves from Mustafa Zico and Salah as Egypt threatened to extend their lead on the counter-attack.

With Belgium lacking a focal point in attack, the introduction of Lukaku immediately changed the dynamics.

Thomas Meunier’s delivery into the box caused panic inside the Egyptian penalty area and under pressure from Lukaku, Heaney headed the ball into his own net less than half a minute after the striker entered the pitch.

The equalizing goal ultimately gave Belgium the momentum and highlighted the importance of Lukaku’s physical presence, who was absent for most of the match.

questions remain

Although Belgium pushed for a winner during the closing stages, Egypt held on to secure a point that could prove valuable in the race for qualification.

Despite avoiding defeat, Belgium will have to work hard due to the draw. There will be concerns for more than an hour over a performance from a team that is widely expected to challenge deep into the tournament, one that lacked creativity and urgency.

Meanwhile, Egypt will take a lot of confidence from their performance which showed they are capable of competing with the strongest teams in the group. The Pharaohs may have been denied a famous victory, but they left Seattle with a much stronger statement than their opponents.

Egypt will next face New Zealand, while Belgium will face Iran in their second Group G match on June 21.

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