SALAH INSPIRES EGYPT TO HISTORIC FIRST WORLD CUP WIN

Mohamed Salah inspired Egypt to their first-ever World Cup victory as the Pharaohs came from behind to defeat New Zealand 3-1 on Sunday, moving to the top of Group G and strengthening their hopes of reaching the knockout stage.

After a subdued first half left Egypt trailing at the break, Salah took centre stage in a dominant second-half performance.

The veteran winger scored a brilliant goal after exchanging passes with Zico before calmly finding the far corner.

“It’s a great achievement for all the players. It’s a great win. It’s a great vibe. The next game is very important,” Salah said after helping Egypt make history.

Salah almost grabbed a second goal late on, but instead provided an assist from a corner as substitute Mahmoud Trezeguet headed home to seal the victory.

The final whistle sparked wild celebrations among Egyptian supporters, with coach Hossam Hassan proudly carrying an Egyptian flag around the stadium after the country’s landmark win.

“My feelings are the same as those of the Egyptian people because I am one of them,” Hassan said.

 “The stadium felt as if we were in Egypt. The fans made it feel as though we were playing in Egypt.”

The result lifts Egypt to four points from two matches following their opening draw with Belgium, while New Zealand remain bottom of the group with one point.

New Zealand captain Chris Wood admitted Salah’s quality proved decisive.

“You can’t just focus on one player, and he can pop up with a goal at any time,” Wood said. “There’s also a lot of other boys in that team that create problems.”

Egypt now face Iran in their final group match with a place in the Round of 32 within reach, while New Zealand must beat Belgium to keep their hopes alive.