Best & Worst of Group G: Frantic Finishes; Historic Highs; Cruel Heartbreak | OneFootball

After two weeks of nip-and-tuck matches, Group G drew to a close with a fittingly frantic flourish.

Heading into the final round, spluttering favorites Belgium were in genuine danger of elimination. However, they finally found their shooting boots against New Zealand to top the group. Egypt finished second to book a place in the knockout stages for the first time in their history after a dramatic (and fortunate) draw with a gritty Iran, who were forced to endure an agonizing wait to see if they were one of the best third-placed teams. As for New Zealand, they are heading home.

The group offered everything you would expect from a World Cup. Let’s look back at the best and worst moments.

Best Match: Egypt 1-1 Iran

The last-day clash between Egypt and Iran was a standout. With Mohamed Salah in fine form and The Pharaohs fresh off their first-ever World Cup win, a 3-1 comeback against New Zealand, this game looked like it was only going one way.

And when Mahmoud Saber fired home through a crowd of players to give Egypt the lead after just five minutes, it felt like a foregone conclusion. But Iran have shown incredible resilience at this Wold Cup and rallied. Just six minutes later, skipper Mehdi Taremi was tripped in the area by a clumsy challenge from Mohamed Abdelmonem.

Taremi dusted himself down to take the resulting penalty. Lumen Field held its breath.

Saved! Egypt keeper Mostafa Shobeir guessed right to palm away Taremi’s weak spot kick.

Heartbreak for Iran, but they refused to fold. Moments later, wing-back Ramin Rezaeian equalised with a strike from a ridiculously tight angle. All this, and we hadn’t even played 15 minutes.

The rest of the game played out in a similar vein. With Iran needing a victory to guarantee progression, they threw everything at Shobeir’s goal, while Egypt looked to punish them on the counter. It was breathless, end-to-end football.

Then, in the 93rd minute, Shoja Khalilzadeh scrambled the ball home for what looked like a winner, sending his teammates into rapturous celebrations. But wait—VAR. Khalilzadeh’s toe was 2cm ahead of the last defender. The goal was ruled out for offside.

Jubilation turned to tears.

There was still time for Taremi to rattle the bar with a header deep into added time, but it wasn’t to be. As the whistle blew, Egypt celebrated while the exhausted Iranians slumped to the turf, their World Cup future left in limbo.

Worst Match: Belgium 0-0 Iran

Belgium headed into their second group game still searching for their first goal of the tournament; an own goal by Mohamed Hany had earned them a point in their opener against Egypt.

The Red Devils started brightly. All-time leading scorer Romelu Lukaku should have buried a pin-point Kevin De Bruyne cross after just five minutes, but the Napoli striker showed signs of ring rust following a club season beset by injury.

Rudi Garcia’s side went on to muster 23 shots in total, yet they simply could not find a way past an inspired Alireza Beiranvand in the Iranian goal.

The frustration peaked when defender Nathan Ngoy was sent off for a foul on Mehdi Taremi as he threatened to race through on goal. Despite the man disadvantage, they continued to push.  Ultimately, however, Belgium and their traveling supporters were left exasperated by another toothless performance.

Most Surprising Players

While the big names often dominate the headlines, Group G provided a platform for a few unexpected stars to announce themselves on the world stage.

Elijah Just (New Zealand)

Few people outside of New Zealand or the Scottish Premiership had heard of Motherwell attacker Elijah Just heading into this World Cup. But after a brilliant brace in his nation’s 2-2 opening draw against Iran, he was the name on everyone’s lips.

His fleet-footed style and ability to operate in tight spaces on either flank is a joy to watch. He is the quintessential “seat-shifter”—the kind of player who makes fans stand up because they know something special is about to happen.

Just found the scoresheet again in the All Whites’ final match against Belgium, netting a wonderful long-range strike to give the Kiwi fans something to cheer as they head home. The 26-year-old had already been linked with a move to Scottish giants Celtic and Rangers following a breakthrough season in the SPL, but his transfer appeal will now surely stretch much further afield after such an eye-catching tournament.

Ramin Rezaeian (Iran)

At 36 years old, Ramin Rezaeian is one of the senior statesmen in an Iran side that made history this month due to its age. Team Melli fielded the oldest starting XI since records began in 1966, with an average age of 32 years and 181 days.

However, Rezaeian proved that age is nothing but a number. His Man of the Match performance against New Zealand saw him become the oldest player to both score and assist in a single World Cup match.

Known for his lung-busting pace and dead-ball delivery, it was Rezaeian’s predatory instinct that stood out again against Egypt. By popping up in the box to fire home that crucial equaliser in the 1-1 draw, he may have secured his nation a place in the knockout stages for the first time in their history.

Most Disappointing Player

It is difficult to pick out the worst-performing players in a group where the margins between defeat and victory were so incredibly fine.

Heading into the final matchday, I could have picked any number of Belgium’s aging “Golden Generation.” However, Thibaut Courtois has repeatedly shown why he is still one of the best goalkeepers in the world, while Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku both found the net exactly when their country needed them most.

Instead, let’s look at the player who was expected to eclipse those veterans and truly make his mark on the world stage:

Jeremy Doku

Don’t get me wrong; Doku hasn’t been “bad,” but he simply hasn’t reached the heights expected of a player with his explosive talent. In the opening game against Egypt, he was effectively marked out of the match as coach Hossam Hassan hatched a tactical plot to double up on the Manchester City winger at every opportunity.

He understandably missed the second game against Iran to be with his wife for the birth of their first child, and he was then subbed off during the victory over New Zealand.

With zero goals and zero assists to his name so far, we are yet to see Doku really catch fire at this tournament. If Belgium are to progress deep into the knockout rounds, they need their upcoming star to deliver.

Omar Marmoush

It is a similar story for fellow Manchester City forward Omar Marmoush. Although he has linked up well with Mohamed Salah as the spearhead of Egypt’s attack, he has not quite reached the level expected of him in North America.

The expectations were admittedly high, but the output hasn’t followed. Marmoush failed to convert two golden opportunities in the opening 1-1 draw with Belgium, was subbed off in the 76th minute of the 3-1 win over New Zealand, and was a surprise omission from the starting lineup for the final group match against Iran.

Despite all his undeniable attacking qualities—blistering pace, technical ability, and usually a clinical eye for goal—he is yet to register a single goal or assist this tournament. For Egypt to succeed in the Round of 32, they need their ‘other’ star forward to start firing alongside Salah.

Best Moment

Mo Salah showed why he is nicknamed ‘The Egyptian King’ with a match-winning second-half display against New Zealand to secure his nation’s first-ever World Cup victory at the ninth time of asking.

After the Pharaohs were rocked by a shock early opener from the All Whites, Salah took charge. In the 67th minute, he produced a clinical finish to put Egypt ahead for the first time, before turning provider with a corner that Trezeguet headed home to seal the historic 3-1 win. 

That result put Egypt on the brink of the Round of 32—a milestone they would eventually cross in dramatic fashion.

Worst Moment

While the action on the pitch was captivating, the worst moment of Group G had to be the treatment of the Iranian national team.

In a move that overshadowed their sporting efforts, Team Melli were forced to switch their training camp from Arizona to Mexico due to visa issues amid the ongoing conflict with the USA. The logistical hurdles didn’t end there; for their opening matches, the squad was only permitted to fly into the country 24 hours before kick-off and was required to leave immediately after the final whistle.

They were finally allowed a two-day window ahead of their crucial final group match, but the damage to their preparation was already done. The World Cup is supposed to be an event that transcends politics and unites the globe through sport. It is a genuine shame that, in this instance, it failed to do so.

What’s next

With the group stage drama now behind them, both Belgium and Egypt turn their attention to the knockout rounds.

Belgium vs. SenegalAs Group G winners, Belgium will take on Senegal (who progressed as one of the best third-placed teams). The Red Devils will be looking to carry their goal-scoring momentum into the Seattle Stadium (Lumen Field) on Wednesday, 1 July.

Egypt vs. AustraliaRunners-up Egypt have a historic date with Australia in their Round of 32 match. The Socceroos secured their spot by finishing second behind hosts USA in Group D. This clash is set for the Dallas Stadium on Friday, 3 July.