Egypt survive late Iran scare to book Round of 32 berth at FIFA World Cup 2026

Mohamed Salah's Egypt secured a 1-1 draw against Iran in their final Group G encounter at the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2026 at the Seattle Stadium in Seattle. However, despite the draw Egypt have managed to secure their berth in the Round of 32 stage.

Action-packed first-half

The first-half of the game was filled with instant explosion, with Egypt scoring an opening goal in the first five minutes when Mahmoud Saber found the back of the net to put the African side up 1-0. Iran reacted with immediate urgency, earning a golden chance to equalise when they were awarded a penalty, only for striker Mehdi Taremi to miss it. However, Iran managed to find breakthrough in the 14th minute of the game when wing-back Ramin Rezaeian banked on a clinical counter-attack to smash home a perfect equalising goal, sending both teams into the locker rooms at 1-1 draw.

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Tactical war in second-half

The second-half of the game turned out to be a tactical war-fare, which was intensified after Egypt's icon Mohamed Salah was forced off the pitch and seen with ice on his left hamstring in the dugout. As the time passed, Iran tried everything, culminating in a jaw-dropping chance in the 94th minute of stoppage time when Shoe Khalizdaeh pounced on a loose rebound to score the winner, triggering wild celebrations on the Iranian side. However, the referee brought play to a grinding halt for a prolonged VAR check, ultimately ruling the goal out for a thin offside. Moments later, Saed Ezatolahi's header went off to hit the crossbar, ensuring the game ended in 1-1 draw and guaranteeing Egypt's position in the knockouts.

Next challenge for Egypt in the FIFA World Cup 2026?

The Egyptian side will lock horns against Australia in their upcoming Round of 32 clash on Friday, July 3. Notably, prior to the ongoing 2026 tournament, Egypt's best finish at a FIFA World Cup was the group stage. While they practically reached Round of 16 in their maiden appearance in the 1934 edition, the tournament was a direct knockout competition with no group stage.