Egypt Blew It: Lukaku Saves Belgium from Opening Day Embarrassment

Sixty-six thousand, seven hundred seventy-five souls packed CenturyLink Field for this Group G curtain-raiser. What they saw was Egypt, holding history in their grasp, then dropping it.

Emam Ashour. Bang. Nineteenth minute. First international goal. Mohamed Salah, playing an unfamiliar No. 10, set it up. Turns out, a 34th birthday isn't just about cake; it's about making history – Salah, first African since 1966 with a World Cup goal involvement on his birthday. Who knew?

They took that lead into half-time. A World Cup first for them. Could have been two. Ashour, again, nearly put it away after Thibaut Courtois spilled a Salah header. Wide. That's the sound of regret, folks.

Belgium? They looked lost. Kevin De Bruyne hit the post from a free-kick. Their first shot on target? Sixty-third minute. Pathetic. Then the cavalry arrived. Romelu Lukaku. Twenty-two seconds. That's all it took. He attacked Thomas Meunier's cross, forced Mohamed Hany into an own goal. Sixty-sixth minute. Just like that.

The Red Devils even pushed for a winner. Mostafa Shobier, Egypt's keeper, saved Brandon Mechele's late effort. Lukaku then headed over with a chance to rub salt in the wound. Pointless, really.

Both teams now look to their next games. Belgium gets Iran. Egypt faces New Zealand. A point apiece. But the mood in those camps? Night and day.