Belgium were disappointed by a 1-1 draw against Egypt in the World Cup opener in Group G on Monday, said coach Rudi Garcia, who urged his side to put things right in the next match.
Belgium «must win against Iran», who they will face in their next match on Sunday, the manager said, as the country looks to reach the knockout stages for the first time since 2018. “There’s no two ways about it.”
Egypt came out strong in the first half, taking a 1-0 lead in the 18th minute with a brilliant strike from midfielder Emam Ashour, his first international goal.
“We should have been better as a team in the first half,” Garcia said.
Belgium equalized in the 66th minute when Egyptian defender Mohamed Hany converted a cross into his own goal under pressure from striker Romelu Lukaku, who had just come on as a substitute.
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«I’m happy for him, and if you’re an opponent and you see Lukaku coming onto the pitch, you’re probably shaking in your boots and your concern probably increases,» Garcia added.
However, Garcia said the striker is not yet ready to start after only playing sporadically for Serie A club Napoli last season.
Jeremy Doku was substituted for midfielder Matias Fernandez-Pardo in the 86th minute as Garcia revealed the winger was struggling with a breathing problem.
Doku has “a small drawback,” he said. «He has a breathing problem. He’s a lot better, but I think he had to come off the field so he had a little bit of wind in him. A little bit of energy for the next game.»
Published on June 16, 2026
