Belgium needed a quick impact from Romelu Lukaku to avoid a disappointing start to their FIFA World Cup campaign, as the European side played out a 1-1 draw against Egypt in their opening Group G match at Seattle Stadium on Monday.

Lukaku, who came on as a second-half substitute, changed the game almost instantly. Just seconds after entering the field in the 66th minute, his presence forced an own goal from Egypt defender Mohamed Hany, helping Belgium secure a point after trailing for much of the contest.

The result denied Egypt what would have been a historic victory in their fourth World Cup appearance. The African side is still searching for its first-ever win at the tournament.

Lukaku Makes Immediate Impact

Belgium supporters welcomed Lukaku with a loud standing ovation when he entered the match. The experienced striker rewarded them almost immediately. Only moments after stepping onto the pitch, Lukaku sprinted through the middle and met a cross from the right side. Although Mohamed Hany reached the ball first, his touch sent it into his own net, leveling the score at 1-1.

Belgium captain Youri Tielemans praised the striker's influence after the match. “He’s a target man,” Belgium captain Youri Tielemans said. “He needs to build up his fitness, which is understandable after being out for the season. But, he helps us in this way.”

Lukaku, who plays for Napoli and is Belgium’s all-time leading scorer, missed Belgium’s spring friendlies in the United States while continuing his recovery from a hamstring injury. Despite concerns over his fitness, he immediately showed his value against Egypt.

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Egypt Take Surprise Lead

Before Lukaku's arrival, Egypt had looked the stronger side and deservedly went ahead in the first half. Midfielder Emam Ashour scored his first international goal in the 19th minute after taking advantage of a defensive mistake by Belgium. The goal gave Egypt an early lead and energized the large crowd of 66,775 spectators.

Ashour, playing his 30th match for Egypt, became a key figure as his team produced one of its strongest World Cup performances in recent years. Egypt attacked with confidence throughout the first half and caused several problems for Belgium's defence.

Belgium Struggle Despite Dominating Possession

Although Belgium controlled more of the ball, they failed to convert possession into clear scoring opportunities. Kevin De Bruyne came closest to finding the net before Lukaku's introduction. The Manchester City midfielder narrowly missed in the seventh minute and later struck the left post in the 53rd minute.

Belgium continued to search for a winner after equalizing. Lukaku himself had a chance late in the game, but his header flew well over the crossbar. Coach Rudi Garcia admitted his team did not perform at the level expected. “We weren’t really in the groove,” Garcia said in French. “Technically, we left a lot to be desired.”

Garcia pointed out that only 20 percent of Belgium's shots were on target, saying the team's single goal accurately reflected its overall display.

Egypt Feel Victory Slipped Away

Despite earning a valuable point, Egypt believed they were the better team and came closer to securing all three points. “The match shows we were closer to earning the win,” Egypt coach Hossam Hassan said in Arabic.

Egypt created several dangerous moments, especially during the opening 45 minutes, and exposed weaknesses in Belgium's defence. Had they converted more chances, they could have recorded one of the biggest upsets of the tournament.

Belgium Still Depend on Veteran Stars

The match also highlighted Belgium's continued reliance on experienced players such as Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and goalkeeper Thibault Courtois, all of whom are appearing in their fourth World Cup.

Young winger Jérémy Doku provided energy and creativity during the first half, but Belgium struggled to find rhythm without their senior stars taking control. Tielemans acknowledged that Belgium's biggest problems came from their own mistakes.

“Our biggest challenge was about us. We lost too many balls, we weren’t quick enough in transition, and when we had the ball, we didn’t find the solutions,” Tielemans said. “We were too static, especially in the first half. In the second half, we created some chances, which — we could have won the game, but they had some chances as well.”

Focus Shifts to Iran Clash

The draw leaves Group G wide open. The group also includes Iran and New Zealand. Despite dropping points in their opening match, Belgium remain one of the favourites to progress. However, Garcia stressed that his team must improve quickly ahead of its next fixture.

In the Belgian coach's view, Egypt and Belgium are the strongest teams in the group. Still, he made it clear that victory against Iran is now essential.

“We have to win against Iran,” Garcia said of his team's next match on Sunday. “There’s no two ways around it.”