New Zealand v Egypt: World Cup 2026 – live

Thank you for joining me for a history-making day for Egypt and Mohamed Salah. The Pharaohs top Group G, New Zealand remain unable to hold onto a lead. See you back here again soon.

Egypt now control Group G on four points, with Iran to come at 8pm on Saturday in Seattle. The Iranians are level with Belgium on two points. with the Europeans taking on New Zealand in Vancouver at the same time. Still plenty to play out in a remarkably even group.

Egypt remain a work in progress. that second half performance is surely the template for the remainder of the World Cup. Marmoush on the left, Salah floating, and Ashour knitting everything together behind them.

Disappointment for New Zealand, who threw away a lead for the third time this World Cup. are still searching for their maiden win at the finals. But the lowest ranked team in North America simply ran out of steam in the second half. lacked the nous to work their way out of it.

That was a game of two halves in Vancouver. The first belonged to New Zealand who found plenty of joy with their long ball game targeting the strength of Chris Wood. the industry of Eli Just and Callum McCowatt.

But after the interval Mohamed Salah moved infield, Emam Ashour became influential,. the Kiwis were unable to deny wave after wave of Egyptian pressure. The stodgy ball movement of the first half was replaced by decisive attacking. it was no surprise when Mostafa Ziko headed them level and Salah sidefooted them ahead. Trezeguet sealed the deal unmarked from a corner.

Egypt win their first match in World Cup history at the ninth attempt. They take control of Group G.

90+8 mins: Good reaction save from Shobeir after Stamenic fired in a shot. was deflected just in front of the Egyptian keeper.

90+6 mins: He looks a little groggy as he’s helped back to his feet,. he has the makings of a decent shiner underneath his left eye.

90+5 mins: There’s a delay in the Egypt box while Abdelmaguid receives treatment for a head injury following a New Zealand corner.

90+3 mins: One of the misses of the tournament! Zizo has a free run on goal after New Zealand underhit a backpass. The sub rounds Crocombe but elects not to shoot on his left from a narrow angle, instead chopping onto his right. smashing a shot that is blocked by the desperate keeper.

90+2 mins: New Zealand are trying their best to get the ball through midfield but Egypt are now defending in numbers. the All Whites lack a touch of class. A couple of balls are hoisted into the box, the first is too much for Wood, the second is contested well by Binden,. he makes contact with the keeper, which of course means a free-kick, almost irrespective of whether he only had eyes for the ball.

90+1 mins: Seven minutes of time added on.

90 mins: Lovely ball swept in from the left. Wood can’t make anything of it with a heavy first touch.

89 mins: The set piece targets Binden but it’s headed clear.

88 mins: Another Boxall throw from the right is sliced behind for a corner.

87 mins: Egypt deal with the long throw from the right then hold their nerve with the second ball as it bounces around the penalty area.

86 mins: New Zealand get in behind on the right through Randall but not only is his cross blocked it rebounds off the substitute. out for a goal kick. It’s been that kind of half for the All Whites.

85 mins: Chasing the game, the All Whites throw on Binden and De Vries for Just and Payne.

84 mins: Now Hossam Hassan looks to put the cue in the rack. Off come the two men who have transformed this match: Salah and Ashour, and on come Zizo and Hossam.

Egypt are on the cusp of their first ever World Cup victory. New Zealand will be furious with their defensive organisation. It was a decent corner to the near post. Trezeguet was unmarked as he stooped to angle a header past Crocombe. The scoreline does not flatter the North Africans.

Salah takes the corner, Trezeguet puts it in the back of the net.

82 mins: Salah. Ashour combine well again and this time Salah takes it on into the box and shapes to pick out his favourite top corner but the effort is deflected off the boot and away for a corner.

81 mins: Lovely play down the right by Salah and Ashour. The latter’s cross makes it all the way to Fatouh but with time. space in the box his effort is straight at Crocombe.

79 mins: Thomas is then caught dwelling on the ball but he is reprieved by the referee’s whistle. That gives a crossing opportunity from deep. Wood can’t get his head to the set piece because of some excellent defending from Ibrahim.

78 mins: Boxall strides out of defence with the ball, looks up. sees nothing on, just avoids getting robbed in possession then yells at his forwards for not showing.

77 mins: Those changes indicate Egypt are not looking to settle for 2-1.

75 mins: A quartet of substitutions as the drinks break ends.

For NZ: Singh and Cacace make way for Thomas and Randall.

For Egypt: Marmoush and Ziko for Trezeguet and Abdelkarim.

73 mins: The hydration break finally arrives to give Darren Bazeley a chance to reorganise. His team is in quicksand and needs to regroup fast.

72 mins: It does appear that Old was forced to change his shorts. Quite why he was wearing the wrong ones to begin with is beyond me. How does that happen at this level?

71 mins: New Zealand cannot clear their lines, continually conceding turnover possession. This is a red wave in Vancouver.

70 mins: Egypt are playing at a higher quality than New Zealand can cope with right now. More goals are theirs for the taking.

68 mins: “A neutral observer here,” Nick assures me, “the ref seems to be doing what he can to give Egypt a leg up.” I haven’t noticed that myself, but Old is currently off the field for transgressing something, perhaps wearing a shirt. shorts combination with different numbers?

The All Whites have been drowning, not waving, since half-time and they now find themselves behind. Salah had time to carry the ball forward. exchange a one-two on the edge of the box, then sidefoot calmly past Crocombe in trademark fashion. It is no less that Egypt have deserved for taking the initiative in the second half.

Mo Salah joins the party.

67 mins: Now the opposite of that previous attack occurs with Salah finding space between the lines. feeding Marmoush on the left. He cuts in and shapes to shoot but is robbed by Bell as he’s about to pull the trigger.

66 mins: Old comes off the bench to replace the hard-working McCowatt.

65 mins: Stamenic has a shot blocked 25m out and the ricochet reaches Marmoush. He carries the ball downfield, offloads to Salah, but the veteran is heading down a blind alley. New Zealand deal with the danger.

64 mins: The All Whites do finally get a chance to take the sting out of the game. padding their possession stats along the back four. Egypt seem comfortable standing off now they are level.

62 mins: Ashour has grown into this game. providing that link between the lines that was missing in the first half. He’s fouled on the right, allowing another set-piece opportunity,. the referee blows for some shirt pulling in the box – not once, but twice. New Zealand welcome the respite but they need more before they are overwhelmed.

60 mins: Are we going to end the matchday with four matches four draws in Group G?

Egypt have dominated possession since the break. from one of those passages of sideways movement the ball is played out wide to the impressive Hany who crosses first time for the unmarked Ziko to head beyond Crocombe. The keeper could have done better but it was a powerful effort from close range. The Pharaohs deserved that.

Rarely has a goal been coming as much as that one. New Zealand throw away their third lead of the World Cup.

58 mins: Crocombe pings the ball out on the full about 60m downfield. New Zealand need a circuit breaker.

57 mins: Egypt win a corner after good work from Hany and Attia down the right. The set piece is poor though, played short allowing New Zealand to come out and smother than attempted delivery.

56 mins: Much quicker, crisper, and more varied from Egypt this half so far. Salah’s move inside has helped, backed by Hany playing as an auxiliary right winger.

54 mins: Salah almost rolls Boxall in the penalty area but the Kiwi defender holds his ground. Egypt recycle play nicely, switching from left to right expansively, then looking for one touch combinations around the box. This is lovely from the Pharaohs. it creates an opening for Ziko – whose goalbound effort smacks into a white shirted defender.

53 mins: Chance! Finally New Zealand work their way downfield – Just again important. With some time. space on the left a long bass is floated towards the near post where it’s met by the angled run of McCowatt and his flick on is destined for the back of the net but Shobeir tips it over. Egypt defend the resulting corner much better than they did for Surman’s first-half goal.

52 mins: Now a cross comes in from the left that New Zealand hack clear. Despite good work from Just Egypt quickly reclaim possession. The All Whites can’t get out of their defensive third.

51 mins: It’s all Egypt this half so far. New Zealand lose the ball in transition on the right. after a couple of passes Ashour drags a left footed effort wide. From the goal kick Egypt are soon back in possession. Marmoush has a shot blocked off his boot just inside the box.

50 mins: Hany links well with Ziko down the right but Salah is crowded out in the middle. I think the Liverpool legend has moved to a more central area this half.

48 mins: Not for the first time tonight Egypt win a free-kick not too far outside the box. Another thoughtful routine ends with Marmoush scuffing a shot wide.

47 mins: Salah forces an early save from Crocombe after he gets a toe poke to a second effort following a good cross from Hany down the right. An immediate show of intent from Egypt.