Belgium was in need of a boost in the second half when head coach Rudi Garcia turned to Romelu Lukaku to enter the match in the 66th minute.
Egypt drew first blood in the Group G match on Monday, with Emam Ashour scoring a goal in the 20th minute.
In less than a minute upon entering the game, Lukaku made a difference in the match, charging down the middle of the field toward the net and getting ready to pounce on a cross from his Belgium teammate when Egyptian defender Mohamed Hany made contact with the ball and scored an own-goal.
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Belgium avoided a near disaster thanks to Lukaku, earning one point in Group G with a 1-1 draw in front of 66,775 fans at Lumen Field in Seattle.
Despite his heroics on Monday, Garcia told reporters after the match that Belgium does not plan to start Lukaku due to “fitness struggles,” but the team plans to bring him off the bench to putting opposing defenses on their heels.
“He can’t start a game,” Garcia said of Lukaku, via ESPN. “The switch for Lukaku will be when he is ready to start. The story has got a happy ending because we thought he wouldn’t even be able to come with us.
“(Playing) 64 minutes across the season doesn’t bode well for a World Cup. He’s in his garden — in the box. For me, it was very positive. His body needs to get back into groove.”
Lukaku, one of the best scorers in Europe, missed most of the season with Napoli due to a hamstring injury he suffered in August.
Garcia noted that Lukaku is not battling the injury at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but he’ll be limited to playing a “super-sub role” because of his fitness capabilities.
“He isn’t injured,” Garcia said. “If he can play the super-sub role and then score every time he comes on, that’s great. If you’re a defender and you see him coming off the bench, you’re probably quaking in your boots. I’m delighted for him.”
After the first round of games, Group G has a four-way tie. New Zealand and Iran recorded a 2-2 draw on Monday.
Belgium will next play Iran on Sunday.
For more on the 2026 FIFA World Cup, head to Newsweek Sports.
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