Group G's final round concluded in dramatic fashion. Iran and Egypt drew 1-1; in stoppage time, Iran appeared to have defeated Egypt, but after VAR intervened the goal was ruled out, leaving the qualification picture unresolved. The result of the other Group G match between Belgium and New Zealand further confirmed who would top the group.
Five Minutes of End-to-End Action at the Start
Egypt had already secured qualification for the Round of 32 before this match, but did not relax because of it. Within the first five minutes, Mahmoud Saber broke the deadlock—the goal came from Egypt's fluent build-up play. After Mohamed Salah's trademark left-footed shot was blocked, the ball fell to Saber, who drilled a low shot past the goal guarded by Alireza Beiranvand.
Iran responded quickly. In the 14th minute, Ramin Rezaeian equalized from a tight angle. Before that, Mehdi Taremi had won a penalty, but it was saved by Mostafa Shobeir; Shobeir then made another crucial save, yet could not stop Rezaeian from scoring on the follow-up. After the first-half hydration break, the pace of the game slowed noticeably, and both sides created few clear-cut chances.
Stoppage-Time Winner and VAR Decision
In the second half, Iran gradually took the initiative, while Egypt grew more conservative with qualification already assured. In stoppage time, the atmosphere heated up again: Taremi's header hit the crossbar, and then Shoja Khalilzadeh put the ball in the net in the 93rd minute, prompting Iran's substitutes to rush onto the pitch in celebration.
However, Khalilzadeh was offside at the moment he received the ball, and the goal was disallowed after a VAR review. The score remained 1-1—a result that meant not only a missed three points for Iran, but also that qualification was no longer in their own hands.
Qualification Picture: Opportunities and Risks
Egypt sealed second place in the group with 5 points, finishing behind Belgium on goal difference; they will face Australia in Dallas on July 3 to begin their knockout campaign. This marks Egypt's first-ever advance to the World Cup knockout stage, and their paper credentials as FIFA's 29th-ranked side (up two spots from the previous list) will face a real test in the Round of 32.
Iran finished third on 3 points and must wait for the best third-place results from other groups to confirm whether they squeeze into the last available spot. Iran, ranked 21st by FIFA with 1,615.30 points, were repeatedly thwarted by VAR and the woodwork late in the group stage, leaving their qualification prospects shrouded in uncertainty—a classic case of "the outcome is settled but qualification is not," where the slightest shift in any group's final third-place results could alter Iran's fate.
Another match in the same group: Belgium clinches top spot
Belgium secured a convincing win in their match against New Zealand on the same day, advancing as group winners. Ranked 9th by FIFA with 1,734.71 points, Belgium showed clear attacking firepower during the group stage—in prior single-match technical stats, the team recorded 35 shots and 5 goals, with 55% possession and an 88% pass completion rate, placing their overall competitiveness clearly at the upper end of Group G.
New Zealand, ranked 85th by FIFA, faced an objective gap in quality compared with the other three teams in the group, and finishing bottom of the group was virtually a foregone conclusion.
Off-field factors
The match was designated a "Pride Match" by local organizers, with rainbow flags visible in the stands; Egyptian fans made up the majority in attendance, along with a considerable number of Iranian fans, some of whom waved pre-revolution flags and booed during the Iranian national anthem. No serious clashes occurred inside or outside standpoint.
