Salah scores controversial goal while New Zealand star blocked from playing after wardrobe malfunction in World Cup win
NEW ZEALAND suffered a hammer blow from Mo Salah after an All Whites player was made to leave the pitch due to an awkward problem with his shorts.
Egypt had just scored an equaliser in their Group G clash with minnows New Zealand.
The underdogs were looking to freshen up their options to prevent a second sucker punch with a substitution in the wake of the goal.
Ben Old had only just come on to replace Callum McCowatt in attack, when he felt he was fouled near the opposition box.
Nothing was given and Egypt began to counter attack, but Old was not able to keep up with play after suffering a bizarre wardrobe malfunction.
The star was taken off the pitch, leaving his side a man down, because his shorts had developed a massive hole in the front in a rather intimate spot.
Talisman Salah then used the extra space from the Kiwis being a man down to burst into the box and smash an effort into the bottom left corner to give his side a crucial advantage in the contest.
Old was forced to change his kit on the sidelines as he watched the former Liverpool man celebrate scoring what could have been the decisive goal in the hunt for Egypt’s first ever World Cup win.
The All Whites took an early lead through a towering header from defender Finn Surman.
The tide had turned as the second half got started, and Mostafa Ziko finally found the breakthrough in the 58th minute, levelling the tie for the North African nation.
This year’s World Cup is like no other as a record-breaking 48 nations compete to lift football’s biggest prize.
England manager Thomas Tuchel is hoping to finally bring football home after a 60-year drought.
But footballing legends Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have other plans in what will likely be their final World Cup appearance.
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Salah’s goal put them on the road to victory despite the controversial circumstances.
But the celebrations really came to a head as Trezeguet turned home a third goal for the Egyptians, making a maiden World Cup win after 92 years of history in the competition finally feel like a reality.
The win propelled Egypt to the top of Group G on four points, over Belgium and Iran on two points each, leaving New Zealand in the danger zone with just one point.
It means that a draw against Iran will be enough to book their spot in the knockout stages, and even a loss would most likely see them progress as runners-up, or as one of the top third-place finishers.
