World Cup 2026 Day 11: Group G Recap

Round 2 of the group stage in the 2026 FIFA World Cup is fully underway on Sunday, bringing Group G’s 2nd set of games, with all 4 teams tied on 1 point each after both opening games ended in draws. 

General view inside the stadium before the match

Lisi Niesner

World Cup Group G - Matchday 2

Belgium 0 - 0 Iran 

The first game of the day saw Belgium take on Iran in Los Angeles, and Rudi Garcia made four changes to the side that drew 1-1 with Egypt. Romelu Lukaku started upfront, while Alexis Saelemaekers came into the side to replace Jeremy Doku, who missed out on today’s game through illness. Nicolas Raskin replaced Amadou Onana in midfield, and Maxim De Cuyper came in at left-back for Timothy Castagne. 

Amir Ghalenoei opted to make a system change, switching the team from the 4-4-2 formation it used against New Zealand in their opening 2-2 draw to a 5-4-1, with 3 personnel changes. Mehdi Taremi led the line as the only forward, as Saleh Hardani, Ehsan Hajsafi, and Hossein Kanaani all came into the starting lineup. 

The opening ten minutes of the first half were all Belgium as they looked to pile on the pressure while Iran were happy to sit back, soak up the pressure, and hit Belgium on the counter. Kevin De Bruyne saw his initial shot blocked, and then Maxim De Cuyper had his shot from the rebound saved by Alireza Beiranvand. 

Iran reminded Belgium that they would create chances too when Hossein Kanaani had a shot from the middle of the box, which Courtois in the Belgium goal saved well. Saeid Ezatolahi went close with a header a few minutes later, but it just went wide of the post. 

Iran's Mohammad Mohebbi celebrates after Mehdi Taremi scores a goal that was later disallowed

KIRBY LEE

Belgium regained control of the game after that chance and went close again 20 minutes into the game when Youri Tielemans picked up the ball out wide in the box and almost caught the keeper by surprise with his shot at the near post, but Alireza Beiranvand got down well to stop the shot. 

Just on the stroke of 25 minutes played, Iran had the ball in the back of the net after a brilliant free-kick routine that saw the ball played to Mehdi Taremi, who was standing next to the Belgium wall, who then turned and slotted the ball into the bottom corner. Unfortunately for Iran, the goal was ruled to be offside by VAR, and the scoreline was back at 0-0. 

Maxim De Cruyper had the final chance of the first half when a brilliant ball was played over the top into him at the back post, but the left-back's volley was well covered by Beiranvand in the Iranian goal. 

Iran had the first big chance of the 2nd half when a ball into the box found Mehdi Taremi, who’s volley was well saved by Courtois to keep the scoreline level. Just a few minutes later, Alireza Beiranvand produced what could be the save of the tournament. De Cuyper had a tap-in from a few yards out, and somehow Beiranvand got across his goal and made an unbelievable stop with his hand. Beiranvand then made another solid save, this time from a Dodi Lukebakio shot from inside the box. 

Iran's Alireza Beiranvand makes a save

KIRBY LEE

With around 25 minutes to go, disaster struck for Belgium as Nathan Ngoy completely scuffed a pass back to the goalkeeper and dragged Taremi down as he was about to go through on goal. The referee had no choice but to send the young Belgian defender off. 

Down to ten men, Belgium tried to keep going forward and find the opening goal, but it was Iran who were piling on the pressure, but just couldn’t find the quality in the final third to grab a huge three points. Beiranvand made a good save from a De Cruype chance inside the box, and Dodi Lukebakio went close with a long shot with a few minutes left, but the game ended 0-0.  

A massive point for Iran, while Belgium drops another two points and will need to get their act together if they want to qualify from the group stage. 

New Zealand 1 - 3 Egypt 

The 2nd game of the day in Group G saw New Zealand and Egypt go head-to-head as both teams know a win in this game, after the earlier result between Belgium and Iran, would put them in the perfect spot to go on and win the group, and almost guarantees them a spot in the knockout stages. 

General view inside the stadium of giant New Zealand and Egypt flags as the teams walk out onto the pitch before the match

Lee Smith

Darren Bazeley named an unchanged side from the team that grabbed a 2-2 draw against Iran in their first game of the group stage. National icon and captain Chris Wood started up top with Sarpreet Singh, Callum McCowatt, and brace scorer from the last game, Eli Just, as the three behind him.  

Egypt and Hossam Hassan also named an unchanged starting XI from the side that grabbed a draw against Belgium in their opening group stage game. Manchester City’s Omar Marmoush led the line, with Ziko, Mohamed Salah, and goalscorer against Belgium Emam Ashour, the three behind the striker.  

New Zealand had the first good move of the game as some great team passing saw Sarpreet Singh pick up the ball just outside his box, but he couldn’t get his shot on target. 

New Zealand went close again within the opening 15 minutes of the game, and it’s Eli Just once again. Marko Stamenic played the winger through the left channel, and his shot towards the near post was well saved by Egyptian keeper Mostafa Shobeir. From the resulting corner, New Zealand found its opening goal of the game. A brilliant delivery from a Tim Payne corner found an unmarked Finn Surman, who headed home with conviction to put his nation 1-0 up. 

Egypt's Mostafa Zico celebrates their second goal, scored by Mohamed Salah

Albert Gea

Coming out of the hydration break, Egypt managed to hit New Zealand on the counter, but Marmoush’s shot was well saved by Max Crocombe in the New Zealand goal. Salah then went close from a free-kick routine, but his curling shot was just wide of the post. 

Egypt had a huge chance right before halftime when a brilliant ball across the 6-yard box managed to find Emam Ashour, but Finn Surman managed to do enough to put the Egyptian winger off and put his effort wide. The first half ended, and New Zealand headed in 1-0 up, 45 minutes away from topping the group heading into the final game of the group stage. 

Callum McCowatt had a huge chance to double his nation’s lead just 5 minutes or so after the 2nd half had started, but his header was well-tipped over the bar by Mostafa Shobeir. However, Egypt were level just before the 60th minute mark when a cross found Mostafa Zico in the box and the winger headed home to put Egypt level. 

New Zealand tried to regain control after conceding an equalizer to Egypt, but unfortunately for the All-Blacks, Egypt found their 2nd goal in the space of 10 minutes, and it was all thanks to the captain and legend himself, Mohamed Salah. Salah took the ball down the left, played a lovely little one-two with a player in the box, and slotted home into the bottom corner to put his team just 20 minutes away from topping the group and grabbing their first-ever win at a World Cup. 

Egypt's Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring their second goal with Omar Marmoush

Albert Gea

Egypt looked the better of the two sides as the 2nd half went on, and 10 minutes from time, they found themselves 3-1 up from a Mohamed Salah corner. It was terrible marking from New Zealand, who never picked up Trezeguet as he made the run to the front post and headed home well. 

Egypt had a massive chance to make it 4-1 in added time past the 90 as Zizo did brilliantly to go around the keeper, but he took way too long to take the shot, and Max Crocombe recovered to make the save. Egypt saw out the remaining minutes to pick up their first-ever win at the World Cup and also to go top of the group. 

Day 11, Group G, Round-up:

With Egypt picking up their first ever win at the World Cup with a 3-1 win over New Zealand and Iran pulling off a great result to draw with Belgium, we head into the final group stage games with Egypt in first place on 4 points, Iran in 2nd with 2 points, Belgium in 3rd with 2 points, and then finally New Zealand in 4th with just the 1 point. 

Both final games are massive for all teams involved, with New Zealand in a must-win game against Belgium, who need a win to have a chance to top the group, while Iran will be looking to beat Egypt to take top spot.  

Tomorrow brings another action-packed day of FIFA World Cup action as Day 12 showcases groups I and J getting their 2nd games underway. Group I sees France take on Iraq, while Norway faces Senegal, and then Group J sees Argentina face off with Austria, while Jordan battles Algeria.