Egypt reach a World Cup knockout stage for the first time, with Iran's late winner wiped by VAR
A 1-1 draw with Iran in Seattle sealed Egypt's historic Round of 32 place; Khalilzadeh rifled in a 93rd-minute winner but VAR ruled him narrowly offside, keeping Egypt's five-point tally intact
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Summary
Egypt advanced to the FIFA World Cup Round of 32 for the first time in their history on Saturday morning, drawing 1-1 with Iran at Lumen Field in Seattle. Mahmoud Saber put Egypt ahead inside five minutes; Ramin Rezaeian equalized from a tight angle in the 14th. Iran's Shoja Khalilzadeh drove home what looked like a 93rd-minute winner, but VAR overturned the goal for offside, holding the score at 1-1. With Belgium beating New Zealand 5-1 simultaneously, Egypt's five points were enough for second place in Group G. Iran finish third on three points and are eliminated.
Why it matters
Egypt qualifying carries outsized regional weight: Africa's most populous country had never previously survived the group stage. The result arrives on the same day Iran's government fired drones at US forces in Bahrain, underscoring the disconnection between Iran's sporting moment and its foreign-policy crisis.