Egypt beat New Zealand 3-1 in the FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage, Group G

The encounter took place at BC Place in Vancouver as part of the FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage, Group G. Both sides entered the match looking to secure early points in the tournament.

How it unfolded

New Zealand opened the scoring in the 15th minute when Finn Surman rose to meet a Tim Payne cross from a corner, heading the ball into the top left corner to give the home side a 1-0 lead.

Just two minutes later, Egypt’s Mohanad Lashin was shown a yellow card for a bad foul, his first booking of the match.

Three minutes after that, New Zealand’s Sarpreet Singh received a yellow card for a bad foul, reducing the home side’s discipline margin.

The first half ended with a further booking, as Callum McCowatt was cautioned in the 34th minute for a bad foul.

The second half saw the momentum shift when Egypt equalised in the 58th minute. Mostafa Zico rose to head Mohamed Hany’s cross, directing the ball to the high centre of the goal to level the score at 1-1.

Only nine minutes later, Mohamed Salah put Egypt ahead. Receiving an assist from Mostafa Zico, Salah struck a left-footed shot from the centre of the box that found the bottom left corner, making it 2-1.

Egypt completed the comeback in the 82nd minute. Following a corner, Mohamed Salah delivered a cross that was met by Trézéguet, who headed the ball into the bottom left corner to seal a 3-1 victory.

Standout performers

The decisive contributions came from Egypt’s attacking trio. Mostafa Zico not only scored the equaliser but also set up Salah’s winning goal, showcasing his dual threat. Mohamed Salah added a goal and provided the assist for Trézéguet’s strike, underlining his influence in the final third. Trézéguet capped the performance with a late header. For New Zealand, Finn Surman’s early header gave his side the initial lead.

Match facts

  • Final score: New Zealand 1-3 Egypt
  • Scorers:
    • 15’ Finn Surman (New Zealand) – assisted by Tim Payne
    • 58’ Mostafa Zico (Egypt) – assisted by Mohamed Hany
    • 67’ Mohamed Salah (Egypt) – assisted by Mostafa Zico
    • 82’ Trézéguet (Egypt) – assisted by Mohamed Salah
  • Bookings:
    • 17’ Mohanad Lashin (Egypt) – yellow card
    • 20’ Sarpreet Singh (New Zealand) – yellow card
    • 34’ Callum McCowatt (New Zealand) – yellow card
  • Venue: BC Place, Vancouver

What it means

The result keeps both teams active in their Group G campaign of the FIFA World Cup 2026, with Egypt taking three points and New Zealand looking to recover in their remaining fixtures.