New Zealand vs Egypt: Salah Tries to Push Egypt Clear

Predictions

Egypt are the favorites, and most experts back them to win, with Salah expected to leave his mark.

The thing nobody can promise is how many goals New Zealand will manage to keep out.

• Our prediction: Egypt win 2-0, with Salah on the scoresheet again.
• Yahoo Sports: an Egypt win, their bigger goal threat making the difference.
• Total Football Analysis: an Egypt win, tipped at around 2-0.
• JohnnyBet: an Egypt win, with a good chance of a Salah goal.

Why this game matters so much

Almost every eye in this game will be on one man, and his name is Mohamed Salah of Egypt.

He is one of the most famous footballers in the world, and he has scored more goals for his country than any player in their history.

He wasted no time at this World Cup, scoring in Egypt's opener, a 1-1 draw with Belgium.

Behind him sits a defense that barely lets anyone in, as Egypt did not give up a single goal in any of their 6 qualifying games.

Standing in their way are New Zealand, a team from the other side of the planet who love this stage.

They are 89th in the FIFA rankings, the lowest of the 4 teams in this group, so most people expect them to lose.

But they showed real fight in their first game, coming from behind to draw their opener, a 2-2 draw with Iran.

So this is a famous star and a strong defense against a brave underdog who refuses to give up.

Why Egypt are the favorites

Egypt are 33rd in the FIFA rankings, far above New Zealand, and a lot of that gap comes down to one player.

Their forward Mohamed Salah plays for one of the biggest clubs in Europe (Liverpool) and can score in a heartbeat from almost nothing.

He does not work alone, with the forward Trezeguet running at defenders on the other side and Emam Ashour feeding them both from midfield.

What really sets Egypt apart, though, is the back line that went through 6 whole qualifying games without letting in a goal.

Coach Hossam Hassan asks them to stay solid first and let Salah do the damage at the other end.

The bookmakers see it too, giving Egypt about a 61% chance to win this game.

A New Zealand win is priced at about 4.75 to 1, which tells you how big a shock it would be.

Why New Zealand can cause trouble

New Zealand already proved they do not roll over, fighting back twice to draw 2-2 with Iran.

Their best player is the striker Chris Wood, who scores goals in the English Premier League, the toughest league in the world.

Coach Darren Bazeley sets his team up to stay compact, which means they keep their players close together and tough to break down.

If they can frustrate Egypt and stop Salah from getting clean chances, the longer this stays at 0-0 the more nervous the favorites get.

One header from a corner, or one quick break led by Wood, and New Zealand could grab a goal nobody expected.

Egypt have not faced many teams who throw their bodies in front of everything like this New Zealand side will.

Beating a team with Salah in it would be the proudest night this country's football has known.

Our call: Egypt 2-0

We are going with Egypt 2-0.

Salah is simply a level above anyone else on the pitch, and over 90 minutes that usually decides games like this.

We expect Egypt to keep the back door shut and wait for their star to find one moment of magic.

That said, we do not think New Zealand will be easy to break down.

They will defend in numbers and make Egypt patient, so the first goal might take a while to arrive.

Once it does, we think Salah and his teammates add a second goal to make the result safe.

What is at stake?

After one round of games, Group G is bunched right up together.

Belgium, Iran, New Zealand and Egypt all drew their openers, which leaves the 4 of them sharing 1 point each.

Here is how a team books its place: finish first or second in the group and you are through to the next round with no worries.

Even teams that miss the top 2 are not done, because a few of the best third-place sides from across the World Cup get a ticket too.

So three points today would be massive, lifting either team well clear with one game still to play.

For Egypt, a win would tell the group that Salah and his solid defense are the team to catch.

For New Zealand, taking down a side with a global superstar would be a result they talk about for years.

Where and when can you watch?

The game is on Sunday June 21, 2026, at BC Place stadium in Vancouver.

Kickoff is 18:00 (6:00 PM) Pacific time.

You can also see all the details on the match page.

Want to be there in person? Take a look at our World Cup tickets guide.