Belgium 0-1 Egypt at the break as Ashour strikes

Egypt lead Belgium 1-0 at half-time in their opening match of Group G at the 2026 World Cup. At Lumen Field in Seattle, Egypt went ahead through Emam Ashour, who finished in the 19th minute after being set up by Mohamed Salah.

Belgium, who saw more of the ball and looked the more dangerous side going forward, could not turn their superiority into goals before the break. Rudi Garcia's team had 58% possession and managed seven shots, while Egypt had four. Belgium also led on expected goals (xG) with 0.47, but struggled to create clear-cut chances; neither side registered a big chance in the opening 45 minutes.

The first half was also marked by yellow cards. Egypt's Mohamed Attia was booked in the 13th minute, Belgium's Timothy Castagne in the 14th, and Egypt's Ahmed Fatouh in the 34th. Just before half-time, a dangerous corner taken by Salah was cleared by the Belgian defence.

In a match refereed by Brazil's Ramon Abatti, Egypt took their lead into the break thanks to disciplined defending and effective counter-attacks. In the second half, Belgium are expected to step up the pressure in search of an equaliser, while Egypt look to protect their advantage. The first three points in Group G could prove crucial to the balance of the group.

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