The match between Belgium and Egypt is considered a noteworthy confrontation between two top world stars, Mohamed Salah and Kevin De Bruyne. However, the person who made the biggest impression was Romelu Lukaku.
Brought on in the second half, the veteran striker of the Belgian team only took 23 seconds to create a turning point. With his ability to move and put pressure in the penalty area, Lukaku made defender Mohamed Hany clumsily score an own goal, bringing the equalizer 1-1 for coach Rudi Garcia's team.
Previously, Egypt had an impressive half. On his 34th birthday, Salah continued to shoulder the responsibility of leading the attack and left his mark with an assist that helped Emam Ashour open the score in the 21st minute.
The African representative entered the game confidently, continuously putting pressure on the Belgian defense. Mostafa Zico and Omar Marmoush both made goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois show his talent to save, while Salah also missed the opportunity to double the gap with a close-range header after halftime.
In the opposite direction, Kevin De Bruyne had a rather lackluster match. The Napoli midfielder only left his mark with a free kick that hit the post before being substituted off in the second half.
Lukaku's appearance completely changed the game. Although not in the best physical condition after a season affected by injury, the number one striker in the history of the Belgian national team still showed his value by his ability to act as a wall, keep the ball and put pressure on the opponent's defense.
Coach Rudi Garcia admitted that Lukaku is not qualified to start, but assessed the 33-year-old striker's performance as a positive sign before the remainder of the tournament.
He cannot start. We only use Lukaku when he is really ready. This is a story with a happy ending because before that we were worried he might not even be able to participate in the World Cup. Playing only 64 minutes throughout the season is clearly not an ideal preparation for a major tournament.
His body needs more time to regain the feeling of playing. If Lukaku can become a super substitute and make a difference every time he enters the field, it would be great" - Garcia said after the match.
Meanwhile, Egypt has reason to regret losing the victory. However, the performance against a strong opponent like Belgium brings many optimistic signals for coach Hossam Hassan's team in the race to win tickets to the knockout round.
The most important thing is that the Egyptian people trust us, the fans trust us. Football is an indispensable part of the Egyptian people's lives, not just a sport or side activity" - the Egyptian captain shared.
After the first round of matches, both Belgium and Egypt have 1 point. Belgium will face Iran in the next match, and Egypt will face New Zealand with the goal of seeking their first World Cup victory in history.
