Salah leads Egypt comeback over New Zealand for first World Cup win

Egypt did not just rally from a goal down at BC Place Vancouver. Mohamed Salah’s second-half influence changed the match’s pace and shape, and his decisive goal carried Egypt to a 3-1 win over New Zealand in Group G’s Match 40 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The result mattered on two levels. It gave Egypt its first World Cup victory, and it came in a game where both sides were chasing a maiden win on the sport’s biggest stage. New Zealand and Egypt were meeting at a World Cup for the first time, after New Zealand opened with a 2-2 draw against IR Iran on June 16 and Egypt drew 1-1 with Belgium on June 15.

For New Zealand, the opening hour looked like a chance to build on a solid return to the tournament after 16 years away. The All Whites had come through OFC qualifying unbeaten, but the lead they held in Vancouver could not survive Egypt’s response. FIFA said this was the first time Egypt had ever been behind at half-time in a World Cup fixture, a striking marker in a team that has spent decades trying to turn intermittent qualification into a breakthrough moment.

Salah finished that turnaround. FIFA named him Superior Player of the Match after he scored the decisive goal in Egypt’s comeback, the kind of intervention that can alter not just a scoreline but the rhythm around it. Once Egypt got level, the game tilted sharply. New Zealand, which had looked organized enough to keep control early, lost its grip as Egypt’s attack became more direct and more decisive.

The wider meaning is clear in Group G. Egypt moved into position to take control of the section, while New Zealand was left still searching for a first World Cup win as the group stage tightened. Egypt’s next match was scheduled against IR Iran on June 27, while New Zealand faced Belgium that same day, with both teams still very much in the fight but now on different emotional ground.

In a World Cup that features 48 teams, 104 fixtures and 16 host cities across Canada, Mexico and the United States, this was one of the tournament’s clearest breakthrough moments. Egypt finally crossed the line, and Salah was the reason it happened.