Mohamed Salah (right) (Photo by Steffen Prößdorf)
Egypt earned the first FIFA World Cup win in their history by beating New Zealand 3-1 and putting themselves in with a great chance of reaching the knockout round for the first time.
The victory puts Egypt top of the table on four points and needing just a draw against Iran on Friday to move into the last 32.
Mohamed Salah, Mostafa Zico and Trezeguet were Egypt’s scorers after Finn Surman had given New Zealand the lead after 15 minutes of the Group G match in Vancouver.
New Zealand started aggressively at BC Place Vancouver, and after Sarpreet Singh and Elijah Just had already threatened, Finn Surman gave the All Whites a deserved lead with a bullet of a header from a corner in the 15th minute.
Salah and Emam Ashour both went close before half-time as Egypt went in search of an equaliser, and Salah was denied again by Max Crocombe in the first minute of the second period.
Egypt goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir prevented New Zealand from doubling their lead shortly afterwards with a terrific save from Callum McCowatt’s flicked header, and Zico then pulled Hossam Hassan’s side back into the game with a free header in the 58th minute.
Nine minutes later Salah struck the decisive blow, guiding a crisp low finish into the net after a fine team move to spark wild celebrations for his side, and Trezeguet added the gloss with Egypt’s third with eight minutes remaining.
