Salah sparks Egypt’s long-awaited World Cup breakthrough

Egypt have finally won a World Cup match, beating New Zealand 3-1 after recovering from an early setback. Mohamed Salah put Egypt ahead in the second half and later delivered the corner that Trezeguet headed in to seal the result.

The victory carries historic weight: Egypt had waited 92 years and nine attempts for a first win on the tournament stage. Salah’s 67th-minute goal also moved him to 68 goals in 118 international appearances, leaving him one behind Hossam Hassan’s national scoring record.

For Salah, the performance changed the tone of a difficult tournament start. After a subdued display in the opening draw with Belgium and a quiet first half against New Zealand, he became the decisive figure just as Egypt’s campaign looked under pressure.

The result leaves Egypt close to reaching the last 32, with the source reporting that a point against Iran would be enough. For editors and fans, the bigger question is whether this win is simply a historic release of pressure or the start of a deeper Egyptian run.