For an hour, Oceania's lone side dreamed. Finn Surman rose to head New Zealand in front from a Tim Payne corner on 15 minutes, and the All Whites carried that lead into the break against Mohamed Salah's Egypt in Vancouver. Then the Pharaohs found another gear.

Mostafa Ziko headed the equaliser on 59 minutes; eight minutes later Salah struck in transition, taking a pass and finishing low for 2–1; and Trezeguet glanced in a Salah corner late to make it 3–1. It is Egypt's first-ever victory at a World Cup — at the fourth attempt across 1934, 1990, 2018 and now — and the first time they have scored three in a World Cup match. The result sends Egypt top of Group G and to the brink of a historic knockout place.

Weird & wonderful

Trezeguet became the first Egyptian ever to score off the bench at a World Cup, and Salah — so long the talisman without a tournament breakthrough — finally inspired the win his country had waited 92 years for. New Zealand, twice now within reach of a famous result, leave with nothing.

For an hour the underlying numbers flattered New Zealand’s lead: Egypt’s eventual 1.96 xG to 1.0 and 19-12 shot edge built only gradually, and the All Whites took theirs first through Surman’s header. The second half belonged to Egypt, whose 56% possession and persistent pressure (7 shots on target) finally told through Ziko, Salah and Trezeguet in 23 transformative minutes. The gap between New Zealand’s 1.0 xG and a 3-1 defeat is the story of a side that defended well, scored early, but couldn’t live with Salah once Egypt raised the tempo.