All Whites at the 2026 FIFA World Cup: Game Rua vs Egypt
It was all going swell at half-time. Finn Surman’s towering (unmarked) header and another intense, energetic performance from the All Whites, full of clever interplay and sturdy defence, had the lads leading 1-0 at the break against Mo Salah and his Pharaohs. But Egypt flipped the switch in the second half and the All Whites got fatigued and a few 50-50 calls didn’t go our way and it ended with Egypt claiming their first ever World Cup win instead of New Zealand. 3-1 final score.
That keeps it nice and simple for the last group game vs Belgium: win and we’re 99% likely to progress (maybe even 100% by the time that game is played); lose or draw and we’re going home. No need to worry about goal difference or fair play records or head-to-heads. The All Whites were given three opportunities to win a game at this World Cup (the knockouts were the other target but that’ll take care of itself if the win is secured). They’ve led in both of the first two games and been unable to hang on for that elusive victory but there’s still one more chance.
The loss against Egypt was one of those cliched games of two halves. Excellent from the All Whites in the first stanza, scoring another early goal and playing more of that sweet combination footy... but Egypt turned up the heat and the second half got pretty one-sided. As much as the non-foul on Ben Old before Mo Salah’s goal has become a talking point it’s not like Egypt weren’t already banging down the down before that. Too much of the game was happening around the NZ penalty area and a relatively inexperienced All Whites team, with only one man on the pitch who has been to a World Cup before, perhaps got overly focused on the weight of the occasion rather than grabbing the game by the scruff of the neck as they’d done in the opening thirty-odd minutes.
Egypt had almost nothing in attack in that first half hour. They were spraying passes and bobbling touches. Did force one save via Omar Marmoush, which Crocombe parried and then regathered, though that came directly after Tim Payne had been pushed off the ball without getting a foul (sound familiar?) about 26 mins deep. Boxall and Surman were doing an excellent job of getting a foot on the ball at crucial times, with Surman got his gut in the way of an early shot. The wingers were getting back and playing their way out of trouble, working one-twos, and not only relieving pressure but applying some of their own. The early goal rattled Egypt even further. Just like last time, the All Whites rose to the required intensity, in fact we saw a slight jump in many of those effort areas compared to the first game. That’s a quick recap of what was working.
But all of that was reliant on an erratic Egypt performance... and they didn’t stay erratic. They sharpened up and got their fullbacks further forward, kept the ball higher up, put Mo Salah in more dangerous areas on the ball, converted a few chances, and generally just reacted stronger from one half to the next. Credit where it’s due. They also upped the tempo to where it got a whole lot harder for New Zealand to handle. For example, one thing Egypt did throughout the game was they kept the ball in play. They took quick throws and short free kicks, meaning no time for the NZers to get back into shape, meaning less time to catch a breath. The ball was active for about five total minutes more in this game than in the previous game and you’re going to feel as the match wears on. Fatigue was definitely a factor.
That begs the question which many folks are asking...
Did Darren Bazeley Use His Subs Soon Enough?
Perhaps not... but it’s not as simple as that. One thing we’ve seen across these two games, and even the warm-ups vs Haiti and England, is that some players have been able to maintain their quality as the speed and intensity increase to World Cup capacity and others aren’t quite there yet. Everyone’s battling away and doing their best but some dudes are swimming and some are just trying to stay afloat.
Darren Bazeley has picked the same starting eleven in both games because those are the guys that he’s decided are the most likely to get the job done. And they’ve mostly lived up to that hype – the first halves in both games have been awesome. Early goals in both. A half-time lead against Egypt. The guys on the bench have their own attributes but other than Ryan Thomas there isn’t really anyone there who can do all of the things that first eleven are doing, from the fitness to the link-ups to the defensive mahi, let alone do it at the same intensity. Even some of the starters aren’t managing that, quite frankly.
So if Bazeley’s waiting late to make changes, that’s because he (reasonably) thinks his team is stronger with his starting eleven out there. That’s why they’re his starting eleven. Sorry to break it to anyone but we’re not England who can sub on Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka whilst leaving Phil Foden and Cole Palmer at home (or Morgan Gibbs-White, Woodsy’s mate, who had a far better season than either of them). We don’t have that kinda depth. Everyone loves being the underdog until it comes time to actually be the underdog, with all the limitations that entails.
The balance for Bazeley and his staff is recognising when those starters are fatigued enough that the subs become a step up. Ryan Thomas is there already but he’s a different case. We’re not taking Joe Bell or Marko Stamenić out of the game so Thommo is competing with Sarpreet Singh. If Thomas had been fitter during the preparations then he might have been starting there already... but the issue is that he’s a more defensive option than Singh in that attacking midfield role. When it has come time to make changes, we’ve been chasing goals and not in the mood to remove a key creative option. It’s something to think about for the Belgium game though: start Thomas, sub on Singh later? Singh has visibly tired in both games and now has 166 minutes of World Cup footy in his legs to recover from. Thomas would consolidate the midfield against Belgium. Something to think about.
McCowatt’s been subbed around the 66-min mark in both games. Against Iran, Libby Cacace also came off at the same time – though he lasted a bit longer against Egypt. Those felt like pre-determined subs. The Iran game also saw Tim Payne swapped out after 78 mins (exhaustion) before Tyler Bindon and Jesse Randall were chucked on in stoppages (last roll of the dice). This Egypt game saw the Old > McCowatt move at the usual time then Singh and Cacace stepped out after 75 mins for Thomas and Randall (again, fitness related moves). Francis de Vries and Tyler Bindon got on in the fullback spots for the last five minutes (last roll of the dice). So there have been no genuinely tactical substitutions until the very late stages. For what it’s worth, Baze did say that he brought Old on vs Egypt hoping to give Libby Cacace more help down his edge against Salah and company... though he also subbed McCowatt at the same time last game so he probably would’ve done that anyway.
Ryan Thomas should have come on a lot earlier to try and wrestle back control of the midfield while the game was still in the balance. That’s a valid criticism. As to the rest of it... Bazeley is a naturally conservative coach and he’s been conservative with his substitutions. You get what it says on the packaging. We’re free to disagree with his approach but our strongest players were already out there on the pitch, there wasn’t a secret weapon on the bench that could have fixed everything. (This is where we miss Matt Garbett the most, by the way – he could have been an extra swimmer among the floating bench options).
The Refereeing Stuff
Ben Old was fouled in the lead up to the second goal but New Zealand were not awarded a free kick. He got to a loose ball first, took a touch to establish possession, then took a shove in the back followed by an accidental stomp and couldn’t get a whistle in his favour. The All Whites should have gotten a free kick. They also should have reacted better to the quick throw from Egypt and the transition attack that led to Mo Salah’s goal. Bit to much chirping leaving holes in the midfield. It was a turning point in the game and it also wasn’t enough to blame the result upon. The refereeing throughout the game felt rough on the kiwis, from soft early yellows to various fouls and offsides being called or not called. The refereeing isn’t why Egypt took control of the game in the second half and piled on enough pressure to score three goals in 45 minutes though. It’s something to moan about but it’s not an excuse.
That about sums it up. The problem for the All Whites is that they’re the underdogs at this World Cup, the lowest ranked team coming into the event (we did rise above Haiti and Curacao after the first set of fixtures but the latter have bumped back ahead of us after this... still ahead of Haiti though). England or France or Argentina or whoever can cop a bad whistle and still win comfortably. The All Whites aren’t good enough for that. We need a bit of luck to go our way, underdogs always need a bit of luck, and we didn’t get it.
Bloody hell it was frustrating too. The Old non-foul was the shining example but throughout the match there were instances where it didn’t quite feel like things were breaking New Zealand’s way. Singh and McCowatt both got booked early for fouls that didn’t really warrant anything more than a free kick. Payne was shoved over for a Marmoush chance midway through the first half... no whistle. If Crocombe hadn’t saved that (or hadn’t regathered at the second attempt after a minor miscommunication with Cacace) then we’d be talking about that moment instead. Bazeley was shown on camera talking heatedly to the fourth official as the teams went into the sheds for half-time and things only got peskier from there:
There was a foul on Cacace early second half that wasn’t called until the lino gave a shout.
Just got ripped down shortly afterwards, a few metres outside the box on the counter, and still no dice (admittedly he may have gotten away with a shove in winning the ball in the first place).
There was a high arm against Wood while jumping for an aerial in the box which had him slamming his palm on the turf in annoyance having been impeded without compensation... Surman then gave the keeper a bump before he could kick the ball up-field. The keeper rebalanced and hoofed it straight to Joe Bell on halfway only for the ref to bring it back for a free kick and prevent NZ from recycling the attack.
Boxy got hit by a high boot soon after the equaliser, also claiming a handball by the Egyptian dude in the process (looked more like chest than hand) but again there was no foul and Egypt quickly got the ball back in play while Boxy was still limping back to his own half.
Then there was the Ben Old incident... where even if it wasn’t a foul, the game probably should have been stopped to check on his injury. The stamp was accidental, that’s what can happen when you tumble over in front of a runner, but it was enough to rip his shorts and there was sprig contact with a very sensitive area.
Chris Wood was called for a late foul as he challenged for a Tim Payne deep free kick delivery... wasn’t much in it other than two blokes going for the ball and the decision cost New Zealand a corner kick.
More than enough examples there to feel we didn’t get a fair rub of the green... but that’s where we have to take a pause and recognise that the team in the ascendancy usually gets the benefit of those dubious calls. Of course they do, they’re applying all the pressure. The annoying thing was that we could see and feel that the match was getting out of control and we needed those free kicks to anchors things back in the other half and ease the pressure. Again, not to say that the All Whites couldn’t have handled things more effectively. Frustrations were a little too obvious, those passing patterns out of the back turned into rushed clearances, lads weren’t closing the ball down as fast as before. And above all, Egypt went up the gears to a level we couldn’t directly match. The officiating is not why New Zealand lost this game… but it didn’t bloody help either.
Meanwhile the Ben Old stuff got a bit comical when he had to change his ripped/bloodied shorts and somehow ended up in a pair of Francis de Vries #3 shorts instead...
Eventually they got him sorted with the #19s though by then he’d been off the pitch for 2-3 minutes. More annoyances for the kiwi fellas. This is how Ben Old described the incident (quotes which make you thankful that the NZ media outlets sent their own journos over because you can’t imagine Oldy talking to the BBC or Associated Press about his ballsack)...
Ben Old as quoted by Stuff: “I’ve touched the ball and I feel like he’s fouled me. As he’s gone to fall down, he’s fallen down on my ballsack and ripped my shorts and underwear. I was worried because it was a really sharp pain, but it’s all fine, I’ve been checked by the doctor.”
Player By Player
Max Crocombe – Not a very good one from Crocs here, sadly. He could have done more with the goals, particularly the first one, and his hands were a bit wobbly at times. But the main bit was how erratic his distribution was. Rushed hacks downfield to nobody, hoofing the ball out of play. He was dropping those on Chris Wood’s chest in the first game... he can’t be that wasteful.
Tim Payne – Gave the Paraguayans something to get excited about when he set up NZ’s goal with a lovely corner kick delivery. Felt like a lot of his other crosses, open play included, were sent too deep where the goalie could claim them. Dealt with the gruelling workload better this time though has to cop some blame for the marking with the first and third goals.
Finn Surman – Rock solid at the back, making several more blocks and winning copious headers. He also hit the fastest recorded top speed of any of the All Whites starting eleven thanks to a couple of those back tracks... turns he’s rapid as well as powerful and brave. All the more reason why he won’t stay in MLS too much longer. He’s been our best player through the first two matches.
Michael Boxall – Genuinely did a very good job coping with the Mo Salah factor, showing some serious heels for a 37yo. Iran were keen to counter but Egypt were even keener and they did it with more pace which made it a tough day for the centre-backs who for the most part handled that excellently. Concussed a bloke at the end when Hossam Abdelmaguid jumped into Boxy’s glancing elbow, copping a black eye for his troubles. Should have known better.
Liberato Cacace – Has steadily upped his minutes with each game of this tour, building up his confidence after a wretched year of injuries. Made it through 75 mins this time and had a few more standout moments along the way. Still feel like he’s missing that burst of the mark that he’s usually got though... would love to see him getting forward and taking guys on a little more.
Joe Bell – Covered even more ground this time than last time and by the very end he was finally looking gassed, which is a rare sight. Does his job so well although he did get sucked into the ref-badgering for the second goal. Every now and then you wonder if Bell could maybe take an extra risk or two along the way.
Marko Stamenić – Not as commanding as the last game but you’re never going to get a bad one from Marko Stamenić. Made the most tackles for NZ. Blocked four shots. Completed 47/53 passes. Good as ever.
Callum McCowatt – Bit unlucky to be the first man subbed again... he was the most positively involved of Chris Wood’s three-man support crew dropping in and linking up and passing around corners. Had a couple sneaky chances with that reverse header early second half going closest. It was 1-1 when he was subbed. Really solid game from CM... just wish we could get him into a few more shooting spaces from outside the box.
Sarpreet Singh – Same as last game where his workrate was superb, heaps of undercover running especially out of possession, but needs to be way better retaining possession. Easier said than done when he’s usually outnumbered (Just and Wood are way more effective at that, in their contrasting ways). Has also visibly tired towards the end of both games, yet with NZ chasing goals in both instances Bazeley’s been hesitant to make what he probably views as a more defensive sub bringing on Ryan Thomas. With no Matt Garbett available, we don’t really have anyone else who can play this role in the same way. But he needs to do something about how many of our moves are ending when the ball gets to him.
Elijah Just – Bit more of a known quantity now so he wasn’t able to find the same pockets to get involved in. Given how he was feeding off The Woodsman last game, Wood’s tight marshalling probably also limited Just. Such a silky player, always making clever decisions and wriggling out of pressure like it’s nothing.
Chris Wood – Awesome in the first half but didn’t see a lot of him in the second spell as the game drifted away. Caught offside a few times, all of them close but he can be sharper in those moments. Couple lay-offs not quite as accurate as normal. Must be so annoying for him because he’s the focal point for defensive attention yet he hasn’t been awarded a free kick all tournament. Big man getting no cut out there.
Ben Old – Got his ballsack stomped, his shorts ripped, and nothing to show for it. Played left wing, left fullback, and then left wing again as the subs rolled on. Huge energy. Didn’t catch the breaks.
Ryan Thomas – Brought on later than he should have been and supplied some energy as the rest of the midfield was starting to lag. Won a couple tackles. Tried to direct guys around the park. Need to see more of him against Belgium.
Jesse Randall – Ran faster than anyone else has this tournament for NZ. Had one scintillating burst but didn’t release the ball in time. Another good situation in the box ended with a goal kick. He’s been keen, just not sure he’s commanding any more minutes than he’s currently getting.
Francis de Vries – On for the crossing expertise and he did whip in a few beauties. Also had a nightmare at the back which should have cost us a fourth goal but for a superb recovering save from Crocombe. World Cup debut in Vancouver where he once played for the Whitecaps Reserve team, that’s gotta be special.
Tyler Bindon – Damn the boy can jump. Fouled the keeper with one of them but he’s always up there competing. Almost diverted a low shot into the net near the end, forcing a very good save. Didn’t get much time but he had an impact while he was out there.
The Situation From Here
Keep your chin up because New Zealand aren’t out of this yet. The task hasn’t even changed, we simply need to beat Belgium and we will advance. Lose or draw on Saturday arvo and we will not. Belgium are the highest-ranked team in the group but they’ve failed to beat either Egypt or Iran thus far and there are serious inklings that this Belgian generation may have missed their window. This is looking like the tournament after for the Red Devils. Not to say that makes them anything less than a daunting prospect for lil ol’ Aotearoa... but it does make them less daunting than perhaps their reputation suggests.
Look, the knockout rounds were always a slim prospect. But we’re still in the running with one game left, do or die, if we don’t win then we don’t deserve it. If we do win then Saturday night’s gonna be a belter around the motu. Simple as that. One last chance, ninety more minutes, to try do something spectacular. This next game is in the same stadium in Vancouver that this game was played in, hence no need for travel. Familiar sights, familiar surroundings. That’s beneficial. Little later in the evening too which should be a boost for the fitness side of things given how leggy we were looking by the end of the Egypt game.
To that point, we may have seen a crystallising of the hierarchy over these two games but it might be time for a change or two in the starting eleven. Specifically Ryan Thomas in for Sarpreet Singh, who has faded late in both games with his lack of match fitness. Matt Garbett would have been a great swap but he’s not there and we’ll miss him in this context (it actually would have been the other way around with Garbs starting and probably Callum McCowatt coming off the bench). Tyler Bindon for Michael Boxall is a possibility, though Boxy’s fitness is next level. Also while Max Crocombe absolutely deserved the gloves to start this tournament... in the interests of competition for places it might not be the worst idea to give Alex Paulsen a crack next game after Crocs was less than efficient across the board against Egypt. Could have done more with a couple of those goals. Was spraying his passes to an extent that he didn’t vs Iran. Little bit fumbly at times. He wasn’t bad but the bar’s gotta be higher than that if there’s a good back-up waiting to go. Something to think about... not that it’d be a disaster if Darren Bazeley stuck with his troops for a third outing. Those guys have been good enough to dominate long spells against Iran and Egypt.
As a side note... this is the first World Cup for this group together. Most of them will be back in four years’ time – possibly including Chris Wood who won’t be much older then than Michael Boxall is now and Woodsy has a game that isn’t built around pace or dynamics, which are the elements that tend to fade first with age. We weren’t ready for this stage four years ago but it’s a pity we didn’t get there anyway just for a jump-start on this process.
Bits And Pieces
There was a bloke for Egypt who fell down amongst the jostling for the corner kick that Surman scored from. It was the #8 Emam Ashour but he wasn’t the guy meant to be marking Surman. He was on Boxall and, like many before him, couldn’t handle the jandal. Surman just made an arced run to the six yard box, from back post to near, and nobody tracked him. Too focussed on Chris Wood or something.
Speaking of unmarked goals from corner kicks, the Trezeguet goal for Egypt’s third is not one that rewards repeated viewings. He’s just standing at the near post by himself and nobody from the All Whites gets over to greet him. Looked like it was Tim Payne who should have picked him up. Either him or Surman but Surman gave Payne a massive serve when the goal was scored which tells you where the fault most likely lay. Tired stuff which allowed Egypt to get out of range.
Max Crocombe almost but not quite saving that first goal from Zico was eerily reminiscent of Vic Esson almost but not quite saving Sarina Bolden’s header for the Philippines when the Football Ferns lost 1-0 to them at the last Women’s World Cup. Even the devastated tumble backwards was almost the same...
Momentum Tracker
Fastest Top Recorded Speed By NZers vs Egypt
Jesse Randall – 34.6 km/h
Finn Surman – 33.2 km/h
Michael Boxall – 32.5 km/h
Chris Wood – 31.9 km/h
Francis de Vries – 31.8 km/h
Physical Tracking Data vs Egypt...
The All Whites have scored more goals in 2026 (3 with a game to go) than they scored at either the 1982 (2) or the 2010 (2) World Cups. The half-time lead vs Egypt was also a first for our nation at this tournament.
Max Crocombe’s Distribution vs Egypt:
We spelled “Egypt” wrong on the pennant, whoops...
It’s generous of FIFA to let us do both versions of the national anthem at these games. Usually we only have time for the Te Reo version and nobody’s fussed. But yeah sure why not double-load it. After sixteen years trying to get back here, might as well soak it all up.
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