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The Belgium versus Egypt clash concluded in a 1-1 draw in their opening Group G match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The encounter took place at Seattle Stadium on Tuesday, 16 June 2026, early morning Indonesia Western Time.

The fixture could have been a memorable birthday gift for Egypt’s captain, Mohamed Salah, who celebrated his birthday on Monday, 15 June 2026.

Salah provided the assist for Eman Ashour’s goal in the first half, giving Egypt an early advantage.

Unfortunately for the Pharaohs, Belgium equalised in the second half following the introduction of Romelu Lukaku in the 66th minute.

Egyptian defender Mohamed Hany inadvertently scored an own goal while trying to intercept a cross aimed at Lukaku, bringing Belgium level.

First Half

Belgium started the game dominantly, pressing Egypt’s defence in the early minutes. Kevin De Bruyne came close to scoring in the 7th minute with a powerful shot from outside the box that narrowly missed the target.

Belgium continued their attacking play until the 15th minute, while Egypt relied on counterattacks as they searched for openings.

In the 19th minute, Egypt stunned Belgium with a goal from Eman Ashour, who fired a long-range strike past Thibaut Courtois after receiving a pass from Salah.

Youri Tielemans attempted to equalise with a header in the 31st minute, but his effort missed. Courtois then denied a strong effort from Mostafa Zico in the 33rd minute with a fine save.

Leandro Trossard nearly levelled for Belgium in the 39th minute, but his shot inside the box was blocked. Despite continuous attacks, Belgium went into halftime trailing 0-1.

Second Half

Egypt began the second half aggressively, launching back-to-back attacks through Mostafa Zico and Omar Marmoush in the 48th minute, though Belgium’s defence held firm.

De Bruyne struck the crossbar with a free kick in the 53rd minute, missing a golden opportunity to equalise.

Courtois again came to Belgium’s rescue in the 55th minute by saving Salah’s powerful header from close range.

Marwan Attia’s long-range shot in the 57th minute was deflected, and Marmoush missed a clear chance three minutes later after dispossessing a Belgian defender but failing to convert under pressure.

Belgium intensified their attack through De Bruyne and Tielemans around the 62nd minute, but Egypt’s defence stood tall. In the 65th minute, Marmoush broke through Belgium’s backline after receiving a lofted pass from Salah, only for his effort to be blocked.

Lukaku’s entry in the 66th minute proved crucial, as his presence troubled Egypt’s defence and forced Hany into scoring an own goal shortly after.

Thomas Meunier nearly put Belgium ahead in the 73rd minute, but Mostafa Shobeir pulled off a superb save. Zizo’s long-range attempt in the 79th minute was blocked, and Shobeir once again saved his team by tipping away Brandon Mechele’s strike in the 83rd minute.

Belgium pressed hard in the closing minutes, but Egypt held on. In the 90th minute, Hany’s shot from the right side of Belgium’s box was blocked, sealing the 1-1 draw.

Line-ups

Belgium

Starters: Thibaut Courtois, Thomas Meunier, Nathan Ngoy, Brandon Mechele, Timothy Castagne, Youri Tielemans, Amadou Onana, Leandro Trossard, Kevin De Bruyne, Jeremy Doku, and Charles De Ketelaere.

Substitutes: Senne Lammens, Mike Penders, Arthur Theate, Joaquin Seys, Koni De Winter, Maxim De Cuyper, Alexis Saelemaekers, Axel Witsel, Diego Moreira, Dodi Lukebakio, Nicolas Raskin, Hans Vanaken, Matias Fernandez-Pardo, and Romelu Lukaku.

Egypt

Starters: Mostafa Shobeir, Mohamed Hany, Yasser Ibrahim, Hamdy Fathy, Ahmed Fatouh, Mohanad Lasheen, Marwan Attia, Mohamed Salah (C), Eman Ashour, Mostafa Zico, and Omar Marmoush.

Substitutes: Mahdi Soliman, Mohamed Alaa, Mohammed El-Shenawy, Hossam Abdelmaguid, Karim Hafez, Mohamed Abdelmonem, Rami Rabia, Tarek Alaa, Haissem Hassan, Ibrahim Adel, Mahmoud Saber, Mahmoud Trezeguet, Nabil Donga, Zizo, and Hamza Abdelkarim.

Local Jersey Business in Solo Gains Momentum Amid World Cup Fever

Nofi Setiawan, owner of NS Jersey in Solo, shared his journey in building his football jersey business, which he started while still in high school.

“I studied Marketing in school, and for one of our practical exams, I decided to test a business idea. It began as a small venture and grew after college,” Nofi said on Wednesday, 10 June 2026.

He added that his business became more serious after the Covid-19 pandemic. “Initially, it was just a hobby, but after Covid, I decided to take it seriously,” he recalled.

According to Nofi, jersey sales usually rise after the group stage of major tournaments like the World Cup. The most popular jerseys, he said, come from European teams such as Germany and France. “Germany and France are always top sellers. Portugal’s demand largely depends on Ronaldo’s fans. In South America, Argentina and Brazil are the favourites,” he explained.

Interestingly, Nofi noted that Dutch jerseys sell well in Eastern Indonesia due to historical ties. “Many people there have Dutch ancestry, so orders for Netherlands jerseys are frequent,” he said.

He also mentioned that customers typically buy jerseys based on design, player fandom (like Ronaldo, Mbappe, or Messi), and budget.

Nofi shared that old stock often sells well when a team performs strongly in the tournament. “If I still have jerseys from a team that reaches the semifinals, demand skyrockets,” he said, noting a surge in Argentina jersey sales during the 2022 World Cup.

He has shipped products as far as Papua and Maluku, sometimes sending up to 12 pieces in one order. “Customers there often order in groups to reduce shipping costs,” Nofi concluded.