New Zealand are out at the group stage
That's that, then. New Zealand are out at the group stage — the maths finally caught up. A disappointing end, but there'll be stories to tell and lessons to take from it.
New Zealand v Egypt
34OurXI Strength60
Match events
- 15
F. Surman
Goal · T. Payne
- 17
M. Lasheen
Booking · Yellow Card
- 20
S. Singh
Booking · Yellow Card
- 34
C. McCowatt
Booking · Yellow Card
- 41
H. Fathy
Substitution · R. Rabia
- 58
M. Ziko
Goal · M. Hany
- 66
C. McCowatt
Substitution · B. Old
- 67
M. Salah
Goal · M. Ziko
- 76
S. Singh
Substitution · R. Thomas
- 76
L. Cacace
Substitution · J. Randall
- 76
O. Marmoush
Substitution · Trezeguet
- 76
M. Ziko
Substitution · H. Abdelkarim
- 82
Trezeguet
Goal · M. Salah
- 85
E. Ashour
Substitution · Zizo
- 85
M. Salah
Substitution · H. Abdelmaguid
- 85
T. Payne
Substitution · T. Bindon
- 85
E. Just
Substitution · F. De Vries
- 90+9
H. Abdelmaguid
Substitution · M. Abdelmonem
Why it matters
Group stage, Group G — points on the line.
Who to watch
Talisman
Chris Wood
New Zealand
The focal point up front and the man New Zealand lean on, though an injury-plagued 2026 has clouded his run-in to the tournament.
vs
Talisman
Mohamed Salah
Egypt
The gravity of this team — Egypt rise and fall on whether he can find space.
Developing
Egypt are through to the last 32
Egypt are into the last 32. Job done in the group, and now the tournament really begins — one-and-done from here, every match a final.
Egypt hold their nerve
Level at 1–1 with Australia after 120 minutes in the round of 32, so it came down to the spot — and Egypt held their nerve, 4–2. There's no harder way to win a football match, and no better feeling when the last one hits the net.
Teams out: New Zealand 4-2-3-1 · Egypt 4-2-3-1. Full lineups on the pitch in the Lineups tab.