Egypt have recorded their first-ever FIFA World Cup victory, coming from behind to beat New Zealand 3-1 in a result that has placed the Pharaohs on the brink of the knockout rounds and given a nation of over 100 million football-mad fans genuine cause for celebration.
For a team that has carried the weight of expectation across decades of near-misses and heartbreak at the world's biggest football tournament, Monday's result in their ninth World Cup appearance was not just three points, it was history.
Egypt went behind early, New Zealand drawing first blood and threatening to compound what had already been a difficult opening to the Pharaohs' campaign following a tough group stage opener against Belgium.
But the second half belonged entirely to Mohamed Salah.
The Ex-Liverpool forward, who had been largely quiet in the first half, came alive when it mattered most, putting Egypt ahead in the 67th minute before his corner kick was met by Trezeguet, who headed home to seal a 3-1 win and send Egyptian supporters into raptures.
It was the kind of performance Egyptian fans have long demanded from their golden generation — a team capable of winning when the pressure is greatest, rather than merely promising to. Salah, as so often, was the difference..
Egypt endured a deeply disappointing 2018 World Cup campaign in Russia, losing all three group games despite having Salah in their ranks.
They then failed to qualify for the 2022 tournament in Qatar altogether, a painful absence for a footballing nation of Egypt's stature.
Monday's win feels, for many, like the beginning of a long-overdue reckoning with their own potential.
Speaking after the final whistle, the captain described the victory as a major achievement for the team and made clear that the squad's full focus has already shifted to the Iran fixture, which he regards as a defining moment in Egypt's World Cup campaign.
FRCN
Comments (0)
Please sign in to join the conversation.
Loading comments...