Mohamed Salah scored one goal and set up another as Egypt came from behind to beat New Zealand 2 to 1 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Liverpool captain led his side through a tough second half. The result keeps Egypt in real contention for the round of 16.
The match was played at the AT&T Stadium in Texas on Sunday night. A near full house watched Egypt fight back from an early New Zealand goal. The win lifted Egypt above the All Whites in the group standings.
New Zealand took the lead in the 14th minute through Chris Wood. The Nottingham Forest striker rose highest at a corner kick and headed the ball past Egypt goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy. The All Whites supporters in the upper stands cheered loudly.
Egypt began to push back after the half hour mark. Salah moved closer to the centre of the pitch. He started dropping deeper to pick up the ball and run at the New Zealand back four. The Pharaohs midfield set up several chances before the break.
Here is a quick look at the key moments from the match:
- 14th minute – Chris Wood heads in to give New Zealand the lead
- 52nd minute – Salah assists Emam Ashour for Egypt’s equaliser
- 73rd minute – Salah scores the winner from inside the box
- 90+3 minute – New Zealand striker Costa Barbarouses hits the crossbar
- Final whistle – Egypt 2 New Zealand 1
Egypt’s first goal came seven minutes into the second half. Salah found space on the right and played a low cross into the six yard box. Emam Ashour met the ball with a sharp first touch and finished into the bottom corner.
The winning goal arrived in the 73rd minute. A long ball over the top found Salah inside the New Zealand penalty area. He took one touch to set himself up and then placed a low shot past the keeper. The Pharaoh bench rushed onto the pitch to celebrate.
New Zealand pushed for an equaliser in the final minutes. Substitute Costa Barbarouses hit the crossbar deep into added time with a low strike. The rebound bounced clear and the referee soon blew the final whistle.
Egypt coach Hossam Hassan praised the team for their belief at half time. He said Salah’s leadership made the difference. Hassan also pointed to the strong work of his midfielders Mohamed Elneny and Mostafa Mohamed.
For African football fans the win is a real boost. Egypt now sits second in their group with three points. Cabo Verde drew with Uruguay in the other match in the group. The two African nations are still in the race for the knockout rounds.
South African fans watched the match live on SuperSport. The SuperSport panel praised Salah for his calm finishing under pressure. Many South African football pages on Facebook and WhatsApp shared his goal within minutes of the final whistle.
Egypt’s final group match is against Uruguay on Friday. New Zealand face Cabo Verde on the same day. Both matches kick off at the same time and will decide which two teams progress.
Alex Jordan is a sports journalist based in Johannesburg. He covers Bafana Bafana, the Springboks, Premier Soccer League (PSL), Cricket South Africa and major international tournaments. With a focus on match analysis, player profiles and behind-the-scenes stories, Alex brings SA sports fans closer to the action. He has reported on key sporting events including Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, Super Rugby Pacific and PSL title races.