Belgium narrowly avoided an embarrassing start to their FIFA World Cup campaign as Romelu Lukaku’s immediate influence rescued a 1-1 draw against Egypt in a tense Group G clash on Monday.
Facing the prospect of a shock defeat, the Red Devils turned to Lukaku, who made an instant impact by scoring just 23 seconds after coming off the bench, helping Belgium escape a major upset in front of 66,775 spectators.
Lukaku changes the game in just 23 seconds
Napoli striker Romelu Lukaku, returning from a hamstring injury that had kept him sidelined for much of the season, received a warm ovation from Belgium supporters when he entered the match in the 66th minute. Just moments later, he made an immediate impact by charging into the penalty area to meet a cross from the right. Although Egypt defender Mohamed Hany got the first touch, the ball deflected into his own net, cancelling out Egypt’s earlier lead.
Belgium captain Youri Tielemans praised Lukaku’s influence, saying, “He’s a target man. He needs to build up his fitness, which is understandable after being out for a large part of the season. But he helps us in this way.”
Lukaku’s instant contribution helped Belgium avoid a repeat of the disappointing start that led to their group-stage exit at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Egypt threaten one of the tournament’s biggest upsets
Egypt were the more dangerous side during the opening stages of the match and deservedly took the lead in the 19th minute. Marwan Ashour capitalised on a defensive lapse to score his first international goal on his 30th appearance for the national team.
The Pharaohs played with aggression and intensity, repeatedly troubling Belgium’s defence and leaving coach Rudi Garcia frustrated as his side managed only one goal in response.
“The match shows we were closer to earning the win,” Egypt coach Hossam Hassan said.
Despite dominating possession for long periods, Belgium struggled to create clear-cut chances. Kevin De Bruyne came closest before half-time, but his powerful strike from distance rattled the crossbar in the 53rd minute.
Lukaku nearly completed the turnaround late in the game, although his header drifted just over the bar.
Veterans come to Belgium’s rescue
The draw once again highlighted Belgium’s reliance on experienced players such as Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, all appearing in their fourth FIFA World Cup campaign.
Winger Jérémy Doku was Belgium’s brightest attacking outlet in the opening half, but the team lacked urgency and creativity in key moments.
“Our biggest challenge was us,” Tielemans admitted. “We lost too many balls, we weren’t quick enough in transition, and when we had possession, we didn’t find the right solutions. We were too static, especially in the first half.”
Coach Garcia echoed those concerns.
“We weren’t really in the groove,” Garcia said. “Technically, we left a lot to be desired.”
Only two of Belgium’s 20 attempts found the target, prompting Garcia to remark that the narrow scoreline accurately reflected his team’s performance.
Despite the disappointing display, the Belgian manager remained optimistic and described Belgium and Egypt as the strongest teams in Group G, which also includes New Zealand and Iran.
Attention now shifts to Sunday’s crucial clash against Iran, with Garcia underlining the importance of the fixture.
“We have to win against Iran,” he said. “There’s no two ways around it.”
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