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Germany Cruise Into Round of 32 as Iran Hold Egypt in Dramatic FIFA World Cup Finish

Belgium thrashed New Zealand 5-1 to seal qualification, while Iran battled Egypt to a 1-1 draw in a tense Group G clash.

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Germany Cruise Into Round of 32 as Iran Hold Egypt in Dramatic FIFA World Cup Finish

Belgium secured their place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 with a commanding 5-1 victory over New Zealand at BC Place in Vancouver. The Red Devils dominated the contest from start to finish, with Leandro Trossard opening the scoring before adding another early in the second half. Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, and substitute Alexis Saelemaekers also found the net to complete an emphatic win. New Zealand managed a late consolation goal through Elijah Just, but Belgium remained firmly in control throughout the match.

In the other Group G encounter in Seattle, Egypt and Iran played out a dramatic 1-1 draw. Mahmoud Saber handed Egypt the lead before Ramin Rezaeian equalised for Iran. The closing stages were filled with tension as Iran thought they had found a stoppage-time winner through Shoja Khalilzadeh, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside following a lengthy VAR review.

Iran also came close to scoring earlier when Mehdi Taremi struck the post with a header after missing a first-half penalty. Egypt suffered an injury concern after Mohamed Salah was substituted in the second half and was later seen receiving treatment with an ice pack on his left hamstring.

With the results, Belgium advanced comfortably to the knockout stage after topping their group with an impressive display. Iran's draw kept their qualification hopes alive as one of the tournament's best third-placed teams, while Egypt's World Cup campaign came to an end despite a determined performance.

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