Match report
Egypt 3-1 New Zealand: Salah, Group G Table and Qualification Picture
Egypt have their first World Cup finals win, and it may become one of the most important results of their tournament. New Zealand led early in Vancouver through Finn Surman, but Egypt rallied, Mohamed Salah scored the 67th-minute go-ahead goal, Trezeguet added a late third, and the 3-1 comeback pushed the Pharaohs to the top of Group G heading into the last round.
New Zealand vs Egypt final score
Final score: New Zealand 1, Egypt 3. New Zealand struck first through Finn Surman, but the reviewed match reports agree that Egypt recovered, Salah supplied the decisive second goal in the 67th minute, and Trezeguet finished the night with the late third.
AP's match report frames the result around more than a comeback scoreline. It was Egypt's first-ever World Cup victory, and it came in front of a sellout crowd at BC Place with Salah leaving to a standing ovation after his goal changed the group.
FIFA and The Guardian both matched the broader shape of the night: Egypt had to absorb an early setback, then gradually imposed itself and left the match with both momentum and real qualification control.
How Group G changed
Group G now has Egypt first on four points with a +2 goal difference. IR Iran are second on two points, Belgium are also on two points, and New Zealand sit fourth on one point.
Iran stay above Belgium because both teams have the same points and goal difference, but Iran have scored twice to Belgium's one goal so far. That makes Egypt's win even more significant because it turned a crowded group into one with a clear leader.
New Zealand are still alive, but the defeat cost them the control that came with the opening 2-2 draw against Iran. They now need the last matchday to break in their favor rather than simply finishing the job themselves.
Qualification picture
Egypt now control the cleanest route in Group G. A draw against Iran in the final group match would guarantee Egypt a top-two finish, while a win would seal first place.
Iran still have a direct qualification path because a win over Egypt would take them to five points and send them through automatically. A draw, however, would leave them exposed to Belgium if Belgium beat New Zealand.
Belgium's route is simple even if it is uncomfortable: beat New Zealand and they are through. New Zealand can still qualify as well, but only by taking points off Belgium and then living with whatever Egypt vs Iran produces.
Key players and talking points
Salah owns the headline because his goal changed the table, not just the scoreline. Egypt were level before he struck, but once he put them ahead the entire group shifted around that result.
Surman deserves mention as well because New Zealand did enough early to create a real upset path. The match only turned once Egypt settled after the opening goal and forced New Zealand to spend too much of the second half defending.
No reliable post-match injury update or major officiating controversy strong enough to change the story was confirmed across the reviewed sources. The verified takeaway is Egypt's first World Cup win, Salah's decisive moment and a last Group G round that now runs through Egypt vs Iran.