Belgium vs Egypt 2026 FIFA World Cup Result: Lukaku Rescues Red Devils in Group G Opener

Heavily favored Belgium survived a massive scare in their opening Group G match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, utilizing an immediate second-half tactical rescue mission to claw back a 1-1 draw against a resilient Egypt.

Lukaku helped level the score within a minute of coming on Getty

Before an electric, partisan crowd of 66,775 at Seattle Stadium, the Pharaohs threatened to flip the tournament script entirely, threatening to secure the nation's first-ever World Cup victory. Instead, a dramatic intervention from substitute Romelu Lukaku forced an agonizing Egyptian own goal, sparing the tournament heavyweights from a catastrophic loss while leaving the North Africans with a bittersweet point on Mohamed Salah’s 34th birthday.

The afternoon’s opening stanza belonged entirely to Egypt’s relentless, opportunistic press, which choked out the passing lanes of Belgium's midfield creators. The stadium ignited in the 19th minute when the legendary Salah turned provider, sliding a clever ball into space for Emam Ashour. With a sharp crack off his right boot, the Al Ahly midfielder took one deft touch and lashed a brilliant effort past the despairing dive of Thibaut Courtois, snapping the net back and stunning the Belgian old guard into a state of visible disorientation.

The Gravity of the Target Man

Faced with a sluggish, uninspired first half where Kevin De Bruyne rattled the post and his teammates looked hopelessly static, Belgium coach Rudi Garcia pulled his ultimate lever. Romelu Lukaku, lacking match fitness after a long injury layoff with Napoli, stepped onto the Pacific Northwest turf in the 66th minute to a roar of anticipation.

It took the imposing striker precisely 23 seconds to change the complexion of the match. Striking fear into the heart of the box, Lukaku surged forward to meet a teasing, whipped cross from Thomas Meunier. The sheer gravitational pull of the forward panicked the tracking Egyptian defense, forcing Egypt’s Mohamed Hany into a desperate, lunging clearance that mistakenly flew past his own goalkeeper, Mostafa Shobeir.

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Late Hazards in the Emerald City

With the scores leveled, the humid afternoon transformed into an unscripted, end-to-end firefight. De Bruyne began pulling the strings with greater urgency, and Lukaku nearly orchestrated a late winner, sending a powerful header agonizingly over the crossbar from eight yards out. Yet, Egypt refused to cave under the pressure, remaining entirely lethal on the counter.

Deep in the final ten minutes, Omar Marmoush found space on the edge of the box and unleashed a crisp, goal-bound rocket that required a desperate, body-on-the-line block from Belgium's Brandon Mechele to prevent a historic heist. When the final whistle blew, the mixed emotions were clear: Egypt celebrated their proud progression despite a missed milestone, while Belgium walked away knowing their iconic veteran core has been officially served notice on the global stage.