In a closely contested match, Belgium fought back to secure a 1-1 draw with Egypt in their World Cup opener.
Here are our Scout Notes from the game, featuring match stats from our World Cup toolkit page.
BELGIUM 1-1 EGYPT
Goals: Ashour
Own goals: Hany
Assists: Meunier | Salah
Tackle bonus: Lasheen, Fathy, Attia
Top points scorers: Ashour (10), Salah (7), Meunier (7), Lasheen (4)
TEAM STATS
PLAYER STATS
SCOUT NOTES
Belgium and Egypt couldn’t be separated in their World Cup opener. They recorded a similar number of shots, with the Opta expected goals (xG) split of 1.35 to 1.08 summing up the match nicely.
Emam Ashour ($4.6m), who we highlighted in our sub-$5.0m midfielder guide before the tournament, broke the deadlock midway through the first half with a fine strike. As a result, he earned two Scouting Bonus points.
Birthday boy Mohamed Salah ($10.0m) supplied the assist with a quality ball. He was heavily involved in Egypt’s attacking play (one shot, three key passes), having been deployed as a No 10, rather than on the right.
Away from the opener, line leader Omar Marmoush ($7.8m) looked sharp and carried a threat, with a match-high five shots.
Romelu Lukaku ($7.4m) made an immediate impact off the bench when he pressured the otherwise superb Mohamed Hany ($3.6m) into turning the ball into his own net just 30 seconds after coming on. He should have scored with a late header, too. Injuries have plagued Lukaku’s season, limiting him to just five Serie A appearances, but he clearly remains a key part of this Belgium attack.
“He is not ready yet to start a game. We did not even expect to have him with us at this tournament. 64 minutes over an entire season is hardly ideal preparation for a World Cup. It is fantastic to have him back, but his body still needs to adapt to the demands of competition. He could even have ended up with a brace with that header, but I am delighted for him, and the whole squad feels the same way. Lukaku is hugely important to us.” – Rudi Garcia addressing the media after the match
Thomas Meunier’s ($4.8m) delivery from the right provided the assist for the own goal. He was the only Belgian player to return in Round 1, delivering seven points.
Up until Lukaku’s introduction, Charles De Ketelaere ($5.6m) struggled to make an impact as the focal point up top, even prompting Rudi Garcia to try Jeremy Doku ($7.5m) through the middle. The Manchester City winger later had to be replaced in the 86th minute due to a breathing problem.
“… a little bit of a niggle. He’s got a breathing issue. It’s going a lot better, but I think he needed to come off the pitch so that he keeps a little bit of wind in him. A bit of energy for the next game.” – Rudi Garcia on Jeremy Doku
Cheap defenders Nathan Ngoy ($3.7m) and Brandon Mechele ($3.9m) both started as centre-backs, while Timothy Castagne ($4.7m) was preferred to Maxim De Cuyper ($4.7m) on the left.
Kevin De Bruyne ($7.5m) racked up four shots and hit the post from a free-kick.
Both Belgium and Egypt will be favourites for their remaining Group G matches against New Zealand and Iran.