Fifa World Cup 2026 Egypt Ride Second Half Surge To Trounce New Zealand

For 58 minutes, the night belonged to New Zealand. The lowest ranked side in the tournament, a nation without a World Cup win in their history, had executed their game plan with admirable discipline and precision under the closed roof of BC Place. They defended in numbers, frustrated Egypt’s constellation of attacking stars and through a simple but expertly converted set-piece, held a deserved lead that threatened to become one of the earliest shocks in this World Cup. And then, everything changed.

Two goals in nine devastating second-half minutes turned the contest on its head before a header from substitute Mahmoud Hassan Trezeguet sealed a dramatic but convincing 3-1 victory for Egypt, securing their first ever World Cup win and condemning New Zealand to the familiar agony of surrendering yet another lead.

For long stretches of an increasingly frustrating, muggy Vancouver evening, Egypt looked like a side blessed with attacking talent but burdened by uncertainty. New Zealand looked exactly as they had intended — compact, disciplined, aware of their limits and entirely comfortable without the ball. On paper, the attacking trio of Mohamed Salah, Omar Marmoush and Mostafa Zico should have overwhelmed New Zealand. Instead, they spent much of the first hour probing harmlessly.

Resolute and organised, New Zealand were responsible for making everyone sit up and take note of a group that had witnessed only drawn games up till then. They ceded possession willingly, dropped in a disciplined low block and trusted their organisation to withstand Egypt’s pressure by preventing Salah and Marmoush from using their pace to scupper their defences. Having weathered those advances, New Zealand struck with ruthless efficiency in the 15th minute, Finn Surman popping up completely unmarked to head in Tim Payne’s corner kick.

Egypt’s response was underwhelming. Despite monopolising possession, they lacked the synergy in the midfield and left too much space between their lines. New Zealand’s clarity, on the other hand, helped them repel cross after cross. By half-time, goalkeeper Max Crocombe was called in to make only one save.

But Egypt emerged with greater urgency after the interval, Salah trying to drift in more frequently while Mohamed Hany pushed higher on the right to provide width. That made New Zealand’s defence jumpy. A promising attack down the right earned Egypt a corner, but the set-piece was wasted. Egypt, however, were unrelenting. And that yielded the equaliser in the 58th minute when Attia spread out the ball for Hany who delivered a precise cross for Zico to thunder in a header. New Zealand crumbled after that goal.

Nine minutes later, Egypt’s turnaround was complete. Largely subdued before the break, Salah produced the moment of quality the match had been waiting for. Collecting the ball near the corner of the penalty area, Salah held off Michael Boxall and exchanged a one-two with Zico. The return arrived perfectly and Salah swept the ball underneath the diving Crocombe into the far corner. Tired, ragged, and clearly out of depth by then, New Zealand had descended to the last third in order to prevent a third but to no avail. Only on the pitch for six minutes, Trezeguet dashed to the near corner of the penalty area to dive and get his head to Salah’s corner and make it 3-1 for Egypt.

For New Zealand, the collapse felt cruel. But Egypt looked like a side liberated by their first World Cup victory that was carried by resilience and inspired by Salah in a memorable second-half transformation.

Somshuvra Laha is a sports journalist with over 11 years' experience writing on cricket, football and other sports. He has covered the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup, the 2016 ICC World Twenty20, cricket tours of South Africa, West Indies and Bangladesh and the 2010 Commonwealth Games for Hindustan Times.Read More