MAX Crocombe couldn’t prevent Mohamed Salah from helping Egypt to come from behind and hand New Zealand a first defeat at this World Cup with a 3-1 win at BC Place Vancouver on Sunday.
Neither the All Whites nor the Pharaohs had ever won a game at the World Cup, and after Finn Surman headed home Tim Payne’s corner in the fifteenth minute Darren Bazeley’s side were well-placed to break their duck at half-time.
After twice giving up leads in their 2-2 draw against Iran, the Kiwis were pegged back again when Mostafa Zico – who is named after the Brazil midfield legend – headed in Mohamed Hany’s cross on 58 minutes.
Nine minutes later, Zico set up Salah to beat Crocombe with a finish into the bottom corner.
Egypt sealed their first win in the competition when Salah’s corner was headed home by Mahmoud Trezeguet with eight minutes left.
Millwall’s Crocombe made four saves as Egypt had nineteen attempts at goal and deserved their first victory at their fourth World Cup.
Egypt will win the group of they beat Iran on Sunday (4am BST). New Zealand have to beat Belgium at the same time to qualify for the last 32.
“It’s frustrating,” Bazeley said. “We played so well in the first half. We scored a great goal, created lots of chances, felt like we were dominating possession a lot of the time in the first half, and we were comfortable. We weren’t really getting hurt.
“We talked well at half-time, looked at some things we can do a little bit better. We went out second half and we just weren’t able to recreate the tempo and quality that we showed in the first half.
“Egypt came out and obviously came out with a different attitude and upped the tempo. I thought they played well second half, but it’s frustrating to end up losing a game. That could be us celebrating on the pitch at the end.
“They’ve got some really good players, and Salah scores a goal that I’ve been watching him score for ten years, coming in and left-foot [finish]. But, yeah, over all, I think we defended players like him really well most of the game.”
New Zealand striker Elijah Just added: “You can look at it one way, where the draws are maybe not so flattering to Belgium when they’re probably favourites to get out of the group.
“At the same time, we know how hungry they’re going to be, they need to beat us to get out of the group, so yeah, we’re definitely not underestimating them because of the draws.”