Belgium and Egypt ended their World Cup opener in a 1-1 draw on Monday, as a second-half equalizer from Belgium disrupted Mohamed Salah's celebration of his 34th birthday.

Emam Ashour scored first in the opening half in Seattle, but Romelu Lukaku, who came off the bench after the hour mark, forced an own goal from Egypt's Mohamed Hany.

With this draw, Egypt, the seven-time Africa Cup of Nations champions, continues their quest for a first World Cup victory.

This marks their fourth appearance in the global tournament, and with upcoming Group G matches against Iran and New Zealand, they will aim to overcome this challenge in North America.

For Belgium, this tournament represents a likely final opportunity for the remnants of their golden generation to surpass their third-place finish in Russia eight years a ...