Lukaku Sparks Belgium Fightback as Egypt Denied Historic Win

• Ashour’s stunner put Egypt ahead before a Mohamed Hany own goal levelled it.
• Belgium pushed late as Lukaku headed wide; Egypt denied a famous first World Cup win.
• Belgium now three World Cup games without a win, their worst run since the 1990s-2000s stretch.

In the opening act of World Cup Group G in Seattle, Belgium needed a spark and—no surprise—it came from Romelu Lukaku. Off the bench and straight into the chaos, his near-post surge panicked the Egyptian back line and a decisive touch from Mohamed Hany diverted the cross into his own net. Level pegging, and in truth, a draw both sides will feel they could have turned into more.

Ashour’s Thunderbolt Stuns Belgium

Belgium actually started on the front foot. Kevin De Bruyne found an early sight of goal but dragged wide, and that miss looked costly when Emam Ashour stepped onto a loose ball at the edge of the area and rifled past Thibaut Courtois. It was a peach—clean contact, low and true—and it knocked the composure out of the Red Devils for a spell.

Egypt were organised, compact and clever in transition. They thought they might have had something more late on when Zizo was wrestled near the area, but the referee wasn’t interested and waved play on. The Pharaohs will feel a touch aggrieved; this had the makings of a landmark night.

If you’re already weighing up how Group G might shake out, our guide to football betting sites UK will have plenty of eyes on what this point means for both sides.

Lukaku’s Cameo Turns the Tide

Enter Lukaku with around 20 to play, and suddenly Belgium had menace. A cross from the right caused havoc; Lukaku crashed through the middle, Hany stuck out a boot, and the ball skidded in. Not the prettiest equaliser, but absolutely earned by the striker’s presence.

From there, Belgium smelled blood. Jeremy Doku drew a free-kick on the left edge, De Bruyne whipped it in, and Brandon Mechele forced a tidy save with a curler. Then came the moment: Thomas Meunier stood one up and Lukaku, eight yards out, rose but couldn’t steer his header on target. In stoppage time, Mechele sent another clever effort over as the clock bled out.

Egypt’s bench tried to wrestle back control with late changes, but the wind had gone from their sails. The final whistle confirmed a fair shake—Belgium’s quality without the killer edge, Egypt’s discipline without the final punch.

And the bigger picture? Belgium are three World Cup matches without a win—their longest wobble on this stage since that barren run from the mid-90s into 2002. It keeps Group G wide open, and both camps will know there’s plenty to sharpen before the next outing.

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